


Pearls

by RiverGalleon493



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bonding, Bonding Moments, But you have to wait for it, Canon Divergent, Character Development, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/F, Flirting, Fluff, It Takes her Forever Though, Like really slow, Minor Character Death, Plot, Rebellion, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Some angst, Spaceships, Takes Place After the Trial, Whump, Yellow Learns How to be Happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-10-09 04:34:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 53,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20498348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiverGalleon493/pseuds/RiverGalleon493
Summary: Yellow Pearl hates her life, but she has accepted it. Accepted that it is her fate to be a slave to her Diamond's will for the rest of her days. Accepted that she will be forever hated by the other gems. Accepted that freedom is to impossible to even think about. So she doesn't.But the Pearls as a whole are not without their secrets. After Rose Quartz's escape, Yellow and Blue Pearl are almost caught stealing medicine and are forced to flee for fear of being discovered. As Yellow Pearl fights to get back to her Diamond's side, she begins to wonder if there really isn't hope for a better life. Meanwhile, Blue Pearl struggles to keep her secrets from Yellow Pearl and the rest of the world, but she is isn't sure how long she can keep hiding...And underneath it all, the heat of a revolution is brewing as the sparks created by Rose Quartz thousands of years ago begin to catch the minds and hearts of gems everywhere. Pearls meet in secret in the dead of night, whispers are passed from one ear to another, and gems who never thought to question their place in society now begin to wonder...





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet our characters and realize their predicament.

Total silence.

That was all there was after Rose Quartz left the courtroom, just echoing, throbbing, terrifying silence that seemed to consume Yellow Pearl’s ears. The Diamonds, who only a moment ago had been desperately trying to stop Rose from getting away, were now frozen in shock and denial. Yellow Diamond, for all her lusty beauty and magnificence, had her long neck stuck out at an unnatural angel and her eyes as wide as the great shield that Blue Diamond summoned for her weapon. Blue Diamond, for her part, was also still, but for her trembling hands and shaking shoulders. Yellow Pearl knew that Blue would soon be sobbing, and she wished that she could leave so that she would not have to experience the uncomfortable sensation of someone else's tears springing to her own eyes. Of course, Yellow Pearl would never dare. She mustn't leave Her Diamond’s side, especially now, or she would pay for it later. 

“We- had- her!” Yellow Diamond screamed, suddenly enraged. “We had her- right- here- and- she- got- away!!!” If both Diamonds weren't already standing, Yellow Diamond would have leapt to her feet. Noting the furious look on her Diamond’s face, Yellow Pearl wisely slunk into the shadows of Her Diamond’s throne. She knew from experience that when Yellow Diamond was mad, she would not hesitate to take it out on anything or anyone. Yellow Pearl quietly looked away, praying that she would not be noticed. 

It was a simple yet grand courtroom she found herself in; high, sparkling ceilings, fancy marble pillars, and two Diamond sized thrones. The hole that Blue Diamond’s Palanquin had ripped through the wall during Rose Quartz’s escape gaped, showing a grand view of a city bustling with spaceships and skyscrapers. The color theme of it all was, of course, yellow, seeing as this was Yellow Diamond planet. The gems of the two Zircons, poor idiots, lay on the floor. No one bothered to pick them up. Yellow Diamond paced with rage around the courtroom, ranting, coming very close to stepping on the two of them. Yellow Pearl hoped that they would not reform now. If they did, they would probably be shattered for suggesting that one of the Diamonds had broken their own sister. If they didn't, then there was a chance that they would be forgotten about, and they could give up their careers, sneak out of the aristocracy, and try to find use for themselves in the slums. At this point, that's the best they could hope for. Yellow Pearl also noticed Blue Pearl standing, at the base of Blue Diamond’s throne, in her usual pose; head down, arms clasped together in front of her chest, eyes closed and head bowed in submission. As Blue Diamond’s Pearl, she was safe from Yellow Diamond’s rage. Even as Diamonds, to whom most rules don't usually apply, it is a great offense to go after another’s Pearl. Blue Pearl was protected from Yellow Diamond, at least. Sadly, the same could not be said of herself. Yellow Pearl slunk deeper into the shadows.

“Why did you kill the Zircon?” Blue Diamond asked, her voice squeaking, making it obvious the effort she was making to hold it together. “She was making sense… she could have been on to something…”

“Lies” Yellow Diamond snarled “The desperate lies of a desperate fool! She shall be shattered for this! They both will!” She stormed, eliminating any chance that the lawyers would survive. “We have bigger problems, Blue! Pearl!” Yellow Diamond ordered in the same breath. “Get some gem trackers out there! I want Rose Quartz FOUND! I don’t care how!” 

“Yes, my Diamond!” Pearl responded, glad of an excuse to leave the room. She fled through the main entrance, moving as fast as she could without actually running. As she left, she heard Blue Diamond burst into tears (It was inevitable) and Yellow Diamond begin to scream for her attendants. Yellow Pearl did not look back.

Yellow Pearl knew that her mission was important- she had never seen Yellow Diamond this angry, and if she wanted to avoid a beating tonight she knew that she had better do what she asked. It shouldn't be  _ too _ hard- Rose Quartz had been brought here in Aquamarine’s ship, meaning that Rose didn't have a way off the planet. Yellow Pearl would put all the ships on lockdown, and then it would only be a matter of time.

It was a short walk to the warp pad in the courthouse where Yellow Pearl was, and from there easy teleport to the Castle, which contained the intelligence, military, and air force base for this planet, Galojaya, and the small moon next to it. It also housed both the Diamonds and all of their attendants. The castle was located right in the middle of the busiest city on this planet- Lumecia, a rude and bustling place if Yellow Pearl had ever seen one. The people were loud, the colors were loud- everything was loud, as far as she could tell. She hadn't been allowed to see much of the city, but so far, she quite liked it. Some gems thought it was foolish to put the military base, the air force base, the center of intelligence, the Diamond’s quarters, and the most populated area on this world (excluding kindergartens) all in one place, but those people were clueless to the fact that Lumecia was the most well- defended city in this solar system. Only authorized ships could get in and out, not only because of the patrols surrounding the city and planet, but also because of the countless soldiers, alarms, long and short range weapons, force fields, scanners, and checkpoints at every entrance to the place. Any dropped bombs would be deflected, any enemy ships would be shot down, and any potential infiltrators would be stopped before they even took two steps onto Lumecia soil. Galojaya was an important planet- not only was it the location of Lumecia, but it also hosted one of the biggest Amethyst kindergartens in the galaxy. In fact, Lumecia was built because of that kindergarten- all those Amethysts needed somewhere to live. Yellow Pearl liked the excitement and the efficiency of the place, the way you could get lost in the crowds and the commotions of the world. City life. 

She arrived at the Castle, which many gems complained was too winding and confusing to be practical. There were stories of gems that got lost going from one place to the next, and were never heard from again. Personally, Yellow Pearl thought that was ridiculous. She knew these hallways like the back of her hand- most Pearls did. One tends to learn these things far quicker under constant threat of death, and Pearls everywhere had plenty of that. 

Three rights and a few lefts later, Yellow Pearl was staring at the Area Control Center of the castle. This room reminded Yellow Pearl of a bubble. It had a great domed glass roof and a clean metal floor. Circling the room was a long control panel covered with buttons and knobs and switches that do Diamonds-know-what. Jades,  Jadeites to be specific, sat in the dozens of chairs surrounding the circular room, busy shouting into headsets and typing on keypads. It was quite the hubbub, until Yellow Pearl walked in. A hush fell over the room as the J adeites began to notice her standing in the doorway. The place was almost completely quiet by the time the head technician of the place stood. She sat at the strip of panel opposite the door, and had obviously been doing something very important before she was so rudely interrupted- or that was what Yellow Pearl gathered from the expression on her face. But the fact was, no matter how important the thing you were doing was, Diamond orders came first.

“What does my Diamond wish?” The head technician asked sarcastically. Everyone was required to suck up to the Diamonds and do what they said, whether they liked them or not. But their Pearls? Pearls were the lowest class of gem there was, and although other gems had to take orders from them on behalf of their masters, they themselves were shown no respect. 

With as much dignity as she could manage, Yellow Pearl replied “Lock down all the ships. No one comes, no one leaves.” In response to the disbelieving look that the head technician gave her, Yellow Pearl added “These orders are of highest importance to Yellow Diamond. I expect them to be followed precisely. No exceptions.” Yellow Pearl turned on her heel and left, head held high, ignoring the grumblings of the incredulous J adeites behind her.

From there, Yellow Pearl quickly darted to the Base of Military Operations, or the BMO, in the castle. Here, the BMO was a long metal hall full of weapons displays, computers, spare parts, and the occasional spaceship outfitted with rockets. There was activity everywhere.  Jadeites scurried around under larger gem’s feet, trying not to get squashed. As the technicians of the gem world, they were all working hard on their computers, or tinkering in ships. A few of their greater cousins,  Nephrites, all natural born pilots, were strolling around the room like they owned the place. Well, they kind of did. Unlike their smaller relatives, Nephrites were rare and valued. Jaspers strutted around, shoulders tight, barking orders at their inferiors. Every bit the generals they were created to be, Jaspers were proud, arrogant, and merciless. They were extra big, muscular, and mean. There were more Amethysts in the humongous hall than any other gem. As the common soldiers, Amethysts were higher in class than Jadeites but lower in class than Jaspers. They marched in rows, forming multiple rectangles of about five by eight gems across. A few were practicing sparring or marching. Peridots strolled about, somehow managing to navigate the chaos with their noses buried in the screens of the tablets that they always carried. They muttered to themselves and glared at anyone who got too close. There was one other Pearl in the hall- A green tinted Pearl, perhaps belonging to an Emerald or maybe a high level Nephrite. 

Whoever the green-tint belonged to, it didn't matter. Yellow Pearl walked past them all with her head held high, her gaze focused on the horizon, avoiding eye contact. She pretended to ignore the stares of superiority and dislike. Nobody liked having to follow a Pearl’s orders, but because Yellow was a Diamond's Pearl, they had to listen to her anyways. As a result, she was one of the most hated people in the Castle. She wanted to tell them all how horrible her job actually was, but fear of her Diamond and the few slivers of pride she had left kept her mouth shut. And so she walked on.

Now that she could be sure that Rose Quartz was trapped on the planet, all she had to do was organize a search party to find her. An easy task- the only problem was that she would have to talk to a Jasper to do it. Jaspers were all about strength and high ranking, and since Pearls have neither, Jaspers couldn't have less respect for them. Well, what else was new? Mustering her courage, Yellow Pearl approached the Jasper in command of this station- an orangish gem with muscles thicker than Yellow Pearl’s head. This Jasper’s hair was long, yellow and full, and the proud gem looked all the more fierce for it. She glared at Yellow Pearl as the latter approached. 

“What happened, Pearl? You get lost?” The imitating gem taunted. Yellow Pearl gulped. She hadn't realized how tall this Jasper was. As those huge biceps towered over her, she had the urge to take a step back. But she didn't. In the world that she lived in, weakness got you nowhere. There was no pity for gems that would or could not fill the position they were made for. You either make yourself useful or you were shattered. It was that simple. Still, it was hard to hold her ground and look the Jasper in her beady eyes as she said the lines that she had rehearsed in her head before she came.

“Her Magnificence Yellow Diamond requires the Amethyst guards in the city to be doubled - no, tripled - and put on high alert. They are looking for a Rose Quartz, but a strange one - a shortie with black hair. Her Lustiness also requires the Robanoids to be sent out to patrol the city, especially the catacombs, and several Ruby guards to search for the Quartz by air. Say, eight hundred robanoids, and thirty roaming eye ships with five Rubies each. That would be, oh, let's see, one hundred and fifty Rubies.” Yellow Pearl enjoyed showing off her math skills to other gems. It was illegal for most Pearls to read, write, or do basic math, but as a Diamond’s Pearl, she had bigger responsibilities than just opening doors, so Yellow Pearl had taught herself to do all of the above through careful observation of others. Normally that was a punishable offense, but Yellow Diamond allowed it, because it made her Pearl far more productive. There were no laws against other gems reading or doing math, but many Rubies, Amethysts, and Onyxes could not, so Yellow Pearl took special pride in those skills. “All this is to happen immediately. Is that understood?”

“Triple the Amethysts? We don't have that many to spare!” The Jasper fumed. It seemed like they had plenty to spare, Yellow Pearl thought, looking around the hall, but she kept that to herself. 

“These are her Majesty Yellow Diamond’s orders, not mine.” Yellow Pearl said obnoxiously. She hardly recognized her own voice, shot with confidence. Inside she was shaking. “And she expects them to be carried out in fullness.”

The Jasper glared as if wishing to hit her, but she couldn't. Instead she grumbled. “Fine. Tell Her Greatness Yellow Diamond that it is done.” She began to leave, but then half turned around. “But do not forget your place, you clod. I follow Her Diamond’s orders, not yours. And were you my Pearl, I would beat some respect into you.”

“I look forward to that day.” Yellow Pearl shot back, wishing that she could hold her tongue and just nod her head. Maybe it would make others hate her less. The grin that the Jasper gave over her yellow striped shoulder made Yellow Pearl glad her status as a Diamond’s Pearl protected her.

“As do I” The larger gem snarled, still smiling hideously. She turned and was lost in the crowd, leaving Yellow Pearl with a sick feeling in her gem. 

Once outside of the BMO, Yellow Pearl went straight to Her Diamond’s chambers. It was getting late, and Yellow Diamond would be angry if her Pearl wasn't there to wait on her. It had been a rough day for everyone, and in light of this emotional upheaval, Yellow Diamond would either be extra kind to Pearl tonight, or beat her senseless. She was kind of unpredictable. Yellow Pearl took a deep breath before entering Her Diamond’s chamber. 

“My Diamond?”

“Pearl.” Yellow Pearl caught sight of Yellow Diamond sitting on a huge chair at an even larger desk. The chair, Yellow Pearl knew, was the most comfortable and squashy chair in the world, although it appeared regal and intimidating. Yellow Pearl glanced around the room that she knew so well. Yellow Diamond’s chambers were a sight to behold- the color scheme was, of course, yellow, which meant that most of the fountains, pillows, couches, desks, mirrors, and drawers were made or inlaid with gold. The high ceilings soared, covered with gorgeous murals of Yellow Diamond and her accomplishments. The whole room, or maybe cathedral is a more appropriate word, was heavily furnished with lots and lots of mirrors. That way Yellow Diamond could look at her amazing self anytime she wanted to. However, at that moment she was not mirror gazing, but sealing a letter in a clean white paper envelope. How unusual.

“Why are you so late? I should think that by now you would have caught Rose Quartz already.” As she spoke, she closed the envelope over the letter and dribbled some hot yellow wax on the seal.

Caught Rose Quartz already! That would have been impossible! Yellow Pearl had only been gone, what, a unit? Two? Those were high expectations, even for Yellow Diamond, who always had high expectations. Yellow Pearl felt the hope that Yellow Diamond would be kind tonight diminish. 

“Well, My Diamond, you see… there were some...complications… but, I promise you that it won’t be long before Rose Quartz is back in your lovely hands. We have every Amethyst, Ruby, and robonoid looking, and, um…” Yellow Pearl trailed off as Yellow Diamond rose from her seat and glared at Yellow Pearl with those angry, strangely shaped eyes of hers. Standing, her massive height made Yellow Pearl feel as tiny as an ant. An ant about to be squashed. 

“You haven't caught her yet?!” It came out as a bellow, and Yellow Pearl felt the ridiculous impulse to lie, to say that she had, indeed, caught Rose Quartz and that her Diamond needn't worry or become violent. But, seeing as she hadn't caught Rose Quartz yet, and lying would just get her into a whole heap of trouble, she shook her head and muttered “No, My Diamond.”

Yellow Diamond raised her hand and backhanded Yellow Pearl across the face. Yellow Pearl was braced for it, but one could never really be braced for a hand the size of their torso slamming into their head. The pain was the sharp and stinging kind, and Yellow Pearl could feel her lip split, her eye bruise, and her neck crack. Her teeth cut the inside of her cheek, and she tasted blood. Her nose throbbed, and as she felt red begin to leak out of it she wondered if it was broken. But she did not cry out. She did not even move. She was quiet, head bowed in submission, knowing that it would be worse if she showed weakness or tried to run. It was better if she was silent. 

“Useless, Useless, Useless!” Why do I even have a Pearl if it cannot complete even the simplest of tasks?! Yellow Diamond collapsed into her armchair. “Pearl, I have a headache. Bring me a hot compress. Hurry up!” Yellow Pearl lifted one foot to leave when Yellow Diamond’s shrill, demanding voice came again. “Oh, and Pearl? Take that letter and deliver it to White as soon as possible.” She closed her eyes. “Get on with it!” 

Yellow Pearl didn't need to be told twice. Swaying, she walked, then began to run, through the door and into the hall, through her Diamond’s apartments, until she got to one of the hot water basins that her Diamond liked to take long bathes in. Trying to keep her mind on the task at hand, willing herself not to pass out, and reminding herself of the consequences of doing so, Yellow mounted the Pearl-sized ladder that ran up a Diamond- sized cabinet and grabbed one of the huge compresses from the third shelf. She lugged it back down the ladder, soaked it in the hot basin (which was kept heated at all times using nanotechnology, just in case Yellow Diamond wanted to take a bath at a moment's notice) and wrung it out as best she could. Then, trying not to drip any blood from her nose onto the nice clean compress, Yellow Pearl dragged herself back to her Diamond’s chambers with shaking legs. Yellow Diamond made no acknowledgment of her Pearl when Yellow entered. Rather, she just let Yellow Pearl climb the ladder leading to the top of her armchair and lay the hot compress on her forehead. Compress placed, Yellow Pearl grabbed the envelope, which was the size of her forearm, and quietly left the room. Strange that Yellow Diamond wanted her message to White Diamond delivered in a physical letter when she could have just sent it virtually, but it was not Yellow Pearl’s job to ask questions. Perhaps another day the curiosity would have been too much for her, but today her head had just been smashed in and it felt like she could hardly think straight, so she pushed questions about the envelope from her mind. 

Back out of her Diamond's quarters, Yellow Pearl began to walk in the direction of the post station, where she intended to deliver White Diamond’s letter. She had hoped to do this before she made any personal detours, but the hall around her was swimming so much that she doubted she could make it to her destination without blacking out. And then there was the fact that the other gems there would see her hurt, would infer what had happened… no. That would be too shameful. She would deliver White Diamond’s letter in a moment. First she would go to the Mirage. 

Pearls, as everyone knew, had it rough. Their masters saw them less as people and more as machines. They got no compassion, and they were expected to perform their job to the fullest degree all the time, regardless of circumstance. Even if they were injured, which they regularly were. Yellow once knew a Pearl who’s master had broken her leg, preventing her from keeping up with the other gems. As a result she was beaten again. 

It was the classic cycle of crime and punishment, but with more punishment and less crime. To anybody not of the Diamond Empire, this would seem like a idiotic and completely inefficient system, but it made sense to Homeworld, which, as far as Yellow Pearl had been able to tell, revolved around two concepts. 

Concept one: There is a place for every gem, a place that each was created to fill. If the gem cannot fill it, they are useless and have no place in the Diamond empire. 

Concept two: Gems who cannot fill their places are punished, if improvement seems possible, or shattered, if it doesn't. Homeworld was an efficient, militant fighting force, and every citizen had to make themselves useful, or risk the consequences. Fusions, defects, and incompetent gems were dealt with without mercy. 

Combine those two rules with the fact that most gems saw Pearls more as inanimate objects than living things, and it almost made sense why all the awful things that Pearls had to suffer through happened to them. Any master that deemed that their Pearl was being ineffective (a judgment that usually had more to do with the master’s current mood than their Pearl’s performance) had the jurisdiction to punish the Pearl all they wanted. And if the Pearl was then useless to the master because of her injuries, well, she could no longer fill her place, meaning that more punishment was on its way.

And this cycle that could end in their being shattered was not the only threat injuries posed for a Pearl. If a Pearl was hurt badly enough that she lost her physical form, then she could be stolen. Many a Pearl had been poofed in an inopportune place, such as a city street, and been picked up and slipped in someone’s pocket. Every gem wanted a Pearl, and whoever they ended up with, a Pearl had to serve. 

The worst part of it all was that Pearls were not allowed reliable access to medicine. Yellow Pearl knew that other gems had the technology to heal a broken bone in a matter of hours, to numb pain to the point that one could not feel anything anymore, to cure deep wounds without even leaving a scar. Even though medical prowess was not a focus of Homeworld, (most gems had little need of medics since they could just poof and reform without any risk) the Diamond empire still had surprisingly advanced medical equipment. Pearls didn't get to use any of it. Of course, they were welcome to bandages and painkillers and casts if their masters would allow it, but for many gems, providing a Pearl with those things defeated to point of punishing her in the first place. And if not provided with medical supplies- well, Pearls did not have supernatural healing powers, and their injuries may result in the loss of their job or even their life. 

So a weak solution was devised by a couple of lone rebels millions of years ago, whose names and fates no one knows. The mirage. There was one in every city or stronghold where a Pearl might find themselves injured. Most looked the same. A simple closet, a closet that is always locked, a closet in the servant’s part of the castle, a dinghy door that blends with the wall around it. Only Pearls knew that to get in, you simply needed to knock in a certain way, and the low-tech sensor on the door would do the rest. Inside were basic supplies- painkillers, bandages, casts, gauze, and the like- and a couple of chairs to sit for awhile.

Most gems did not know what sleep is, nor did they have any care for it, but every living organism needs rest, for the psychological aspect of it if not for the physical. Owners of Pearls would often send their servants away for hours on end while writing, reading, or simply lying on a couch in contemplation. It was in this small window of time that most Pearls got their opportunity to use the Mirage. It could be used as a meeting place, an emergency medical stop, or somewhere to hide. Few used it so often or so lightly, though. If a Pearl was caught… well, Pearls had been caught before, and the result was never good.

There was only one problem. The Mirage did not have endless resources. In fact, it was often short on them, and so it was up to any Pearls who used it to replenish its equipment from time to time. Most Pearls were too afraid to risk their necks and actively  _ plan _ to steal, but sometimes, a to-easy-to-resist chance arose, maybe a gem left her Pearl unsupervised in the medical bay, or a Pearl was summoned to bring bangages to the wounded. Occasionally a daredevil decided that the shelves had been empty long enough and that it was time to suck it up and plot, but no one wanted to rebel. The Mirage was not about revolution. It was about staying alive. 

These thoughts of Pearls and closets chased each other in dizzy circles around Yellow’s aching head, but she had mulled over this subject enough that they were neither new nor interesting, so she ignored them. She was in the servant’s part of the castle now, a dingy area with brown walls and low ceilings. She held her hand beneath her chin to catch the blood dripping off it, so as not to leave a trail, and took the routes on which she was unlikely to see any other gems. Luckily, she didn't. She kept her head low, her eyes ahead, and tried not to faint. 

The mirage finally came into view. Yellow Pearl limped towards it, knocked the way she had been taught-  _ bump bubump bump pause bumpbump pause bumpbump bump _ \- and watched the door swing open. She peeked inside, and was sad but not altogether surprised to see a familiar Pearl standing there.

“Blue?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I just wanted affirm that Pearls won't stop here- after all, we haven't even gotten to the good part yet! I've already finished all the writing, and I'll be releasing new chapters every Monday from here on out. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you next week!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our characters encounter a predicament in the form of two old friends.

Blue Pearl looked up at Yellow Pearl quickly. She was standing, but barely it seemed, leaning on the edge of a rickety shelf for support. Guilty terror was written across her face, but it softened when Blue realized then the newcomer was just another Pearl. 

She looked beautiful as always, her skin a pale, moonbeam blue, her hair the dulled aqua color of salty waves. The curvy neckline of her skin-tight uniform cut across her chest to show the whitish gem centered in the middle of it, so luminous it was almost glowing in the weak light of the mirage. Her biceps were noticeable even from this distance, the result of standing with her arms in that awkward position Blue Diamond forced her into all day. Her bangs, as always, obscured her eyes from view completely. Yellow Pearl had always wondered what color those eyes actually were. Probably blue, like the rest of her.

Upon closer inspection, Yellow Pearl realized that Blue Pearl sported cuts and bruises of her own. The tips of her bangs were frosted with sticky blood. The thin mesh skirt she wore hung heavy, splotched in places with the dark liquid. Her right arm was being cradled by her left. And based on the way she was holding herself, Yellow Pearl could have suspected that Blue had a broken rib. 

Yellow had never seen Blue Pearl hurt before. In fact, she had been under the impression that Blue Diamond was a merciful master. Apparently not. 

Realizing that she was lingering in the doorway, Yellow Pearl stepped quickly inside and closed the door. Having assessed that the new arrival was no threat, Blue Pearl went back to what she was doing, turning around to reach for a small bottle of something on the shelf in front of her. Yellow Pearl limped over to the other side of the room, where she proceeded to mop up the layer of blood she was wearing on her face, mend her split lip, spread ointment on her eye, take some painkillers for her bruises, wrap her head in advanced fast-heal bandages, stuff her nose with soft gauze, and put a compress on her neck. Feeling slightly better, she collapsed into a stiff wooden chair to wait for the medicine to take effect. The buzzing in her head subsided a little. She could feel her swollen cheek begin to deflate and her split lip knitting itself back together. Relieved, she took a slow, deep breath and closed her eyes.

And then she noticed voices in the hall outside. A bratty drawl accompanied a pair of heavy footsteps, both growing in volume as the speaker and her listener drew nearer and nearer. Luckily, the mirage was well sound proofed in a way that allowed the Pearls inside of it to be warned of an approaching gem, but withheld noises that could give away the room’s presence to anybody outside. Even though Yellow Pearl knew this, knew that she was safe in the mirage, that the door was well hidden and firmly locked, she still felt her heart skip a beat. Blue Pearl must have felt the same fear, because she froze where she stood and remained utterly silent as the voices outside became sharper. 

“...not  _ my _ fault, I went above and beyond their expectations! I should be showered with praise!” The bratty voice complained, high pitched and full of contempt.

“Maybe it’s not what you deserve, but I'm just saying, watch your back. If the rumors are true…” This voice was deeper, and sounded as if it belonged to a larger gem.

“Of course they're true! And if anyone’s going to get in trouble for this, it's going to be YOU! I’m far too valuable! And besides, you were the one who-”

“Shh, Aquamarine, keep it down!” From the tone of her voice, Yellow Pearl could tell that large gem referred to bratty gem as her superior.  
“You would like that, wouldn't you?”

“Look, we don't even know that they’ll think to punish us-”   
“They shouldn't! We _brought_ them Rose Quartz! She escaped all on her own!”

“Yes, but you know the Diamonds- I mean, if they really shattered both Zircons just for presenting their assigned cases-”

“I should be going to their chambers to collect my reward right now! But instead, if I even mention it, I’m afraid they’ll shatter me! In fact, if I show my face at all I’m afraid they'll shatter me!”

“They do seem pretty... worked up about it all. But remember, it’s emotional for them. I mean, Rose Quartz did kill their sister.”

“I never should've brought her here in the first place!”

“Don't say that! Somebody could hear you!”

“I was really hoping to get another good assignment, too! I could have been put on the recovery team for the Elroan project! I could have gotten a Pearl!”  
“Aquamarine-”

“Everyone else has a Pearl! The Aquamarine working in the BMO in Ranilla has a Pearl! Ranilla, Topaz! Middle of nowhere! But I don’t!”

“Aquamarine-”

“How am I supposed to win my Diamond’s favor if everyone else screws up all the hard work that I do! If she’s crying too hard over her stupid sister to notice!?”

“Aquamarine!”  
“Well, it’s true!”

“Someone could be listening!”  
“There’s no one around here! And there are no listening devices in this hallway. Believe me, I’ve checked.”

“You… you can’t be sure!”  
“Yes, I can.” Aquamarines voice took on a low, smug tone. “Actually, I’ve recently figured out this _trick_.” The two speakers seemed to be almost in front of the mirage now. “You see, I just have to use my power in a way… other than originally intended. I only-”

“That’s bad! Using your power differently is bad!

“ _ You’re  _ one to talk!” Aquamarine snarled. “Besides, it’s fine. It’s not like I’m using it differently on a mission or anything. Look, it’s easy. If I put my staff on the automatic setting, like so-” A quick pause “I can command it to pick up any gem, or device with the workings of a listener, in a ten unit radius! Although ten feet might be more appropriate now.” She added thoughtfully. “And then, if I pick anyone up, I can sense their weight on the staff like usual! Cool, huh! I thought of that by myself.” She added boastfully. Aquamarine had the demeanor of a spoiled child. 

“So is there anyone here?”

“Hang on... let me check…”

And then, to their horror, Yellow and Blue Pearl both felt themselves begin to float out of their seats.

As if gravity no longer applied to them and only them, they drifted slowly into the air. There they hovered, only a few feet off the ground, glowing with a strange purple light. It was a weird feeling, floating. Yellow Pearl would have found that it was actually quite pleasant if she had let herself relax and didn't try to move. But she was panicking, afraid that she would be found out and the mirage would be discovered and she would be shattered and the world would end, so it was with desperation that she tried to fight her way back to the ground. However, as if she had been frozen in a block of cement, she found that she could not move. She strained against her invisible bonds with her arms and her legs, but no matter how hard she tried, she was completely stuck in the position she had been sitting in when she was lifted off her chair- legs bent a 90 degree angle, hands on her lap, ankles crossed. It was as if she had been coated in a fast drying glue that had formed an unbreakable shell around her. Her heartbeat began to speed up as claustrophobia set in. 

_ No no no no no no. _ Yellow Pearl desperately thought.

“See, I told you there was nobody… uh… hmm.” Aquamarine’s voice faltered outside the door. 

“What? What is it?”

“Nothing! But, well, there do appear to be two gems, um, behind that wall.” Although Yellow Pearl could not see Aquamarine, she knew that the blue gem was gesturing to the mirage door. She felt her blood run cold.

“WHAT?”

“Don’t worry! I’m sure it’s just a few Pearls or Onyxes, getting… getting cleaning supplies or something. They probably didn't even hear anything. And if they did, we’ll tell them to keep their mouths shut or they'll pay.”

“But what if-”

“Shut up, Topaz. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” But Aquamarines voice betrayed her insecurities. “We just have to figure out how to get to them.” Her childlike voice rang with authority. Then it was quiet for a couple of seconds. Yellow Pearl used those seconds to continue to struggle, finally give up, and then reflect on all of the mistakes that she had made in her long life that led to this regrettable point. 

“Look, Aquamarine, there’s a door here!”

“Why would anyone build a door like that? No one can see it! And there’s no place to enter a passcode or scan a card anywhere! What kind of gem designed this thing! A Ruby? How are we even supposed to open it?”

“Maybe it just swings open?”

“Ugg, how late 430th century.”

“Just try it”

“ _ You _ try it. You're the muscle.”

There was a grunt from the other side of the door.

“It didn't work.”

“I can  _ see  _ that! Did you push hard enough?”

“As hard as I could.”

“Well then, what are we supposed to do?”

“Um… maybe we could give up and go back?”

“No way! What if our remarks get back to the Diamonds? We’re ruined for sure!”

“ _ You're _ ruined for sure.”

“Shut up!” Do something useful for once and think!”

“We could… ask the gems on the other side to let us in?”

Silence for a moment.

“Huh. That… could work.” 

The purple glow suddenly disappeared from around the two Pearls, and they dropped to the floor. Yellow Pearl managed to catch herself on all fours when she hit the ground, though the impact was still painful and unexpected. Blue Pearl caught herself, too, but her landing was less graceful, and Yellow could see her flinch as the shock impacted her shoulders. Still, both managed to avoid making a sound. 

“Hello in there!” Aquamarine addressed the Pearls. Her tone had shifted from angry to friendly and fake.

Neither made a sound.

“Can you hear me?”

Silence

“Listen, you might have overheard me saying some things earlier that I shouldn't have said. But judging by how hidden this door is, and by how quiet the two of you are, I’d say I’m not the only one doing what I’m not supposed to, hmm?”

So Aquamarine wasn't completely stupid. Still, neither Pearl spoke.

“If you come out and agree not to tell anybody what you heard, I won’t investigate further into what you two are doing here.”

Neither Pearl moved from her crouched position as Aquamarine waited beyond the door. Yellow Pearl might have been tempted to think about her offer, except that there was no way to reveal herself without revealing the illegal medical supplies on her and surrounding her. And even if Aquamarine swore not to tell, everyone knew that Aquamarines were notoriously curious, uncaring, shallow, and dishonest- all the makings of a snitch. They were loyal to no one except themselves, although, of course, they swore loyalty to the Diamonds. They were probably the last gem that Pearl would want to trust with the secret of the mirage. If it had just been the Topaz making the offer, then maybe- Yellow Pearl had known a Topaz once, and she had been too nice for her own good. Besides, Topazes sometimes suffered similar cruelty to Pearls, so they might even be sympathetic. But with Aquamarine there? Yellow couldn't risk it. Blue Pearl seemed to have come to the same conclusion, because she, too, stayed still and kept her mouth shut.

“Do you think they can hear us?” Yellow Pearl heard Topaz ask after a while.

“Try the door again.” Was Aquamarine’s answer. There came the sound of pounding on the door. It didn't open.

“Could you control them with your staff thingie and get them to open the door?”

“Topaz, you dunderhead, it doesn't work like that. I can freeze things, lift them up, and move them around, not control them. I could try slamming them into the door from the inside-”

_ No no no, don’t do that _ , Yellow Pearl thought, panicked.

“-but that would never work.” Aquamarine finished.

Had she not been so focused on staying still and silent, Yellow Pearl would have let out a breath of relief.

“Huh.” Topaz grunted. “Well maybe there's another way in. This could be a maintenance door or something that's been forgotten about. This castle is millions of years old, y'know.”

“It would explain the lack of proper technology…” Aquamarine muttered, almost to herself. “Ok, Topaz, here’s the plan. I’ll guard this door, and you go around to the parallel hallway and see if you can find the main door there.”

“Ok.”

“Actually, I don’t trust you to do anything right, so I’ll go around to look for the other door and you stay here.”

“Ok.”

“I’ll be back.”

“I’ll be here”

The voices stopped. Aquamarine was gone.

Yellow Pearl glanced at Blue Pearl, who seemed to be thinking along the same lines that she was- this could be their only chance at getting out of this situation.

Slowly, they both stood up and made their way to the door, where Topaz waited.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yellow Pearl discovers that she's not always right, and Blue Pearl proves her worth.

Topaz was standing against the back wall of the hallway, facing the mirage, when Yellow and Blue cautiously poked their heads out the doorway. She wasn't blocking either of their exits, but her size and speed assured Yellow that she would catch both Pearls as soon as they tried to run. So they would have to talk their way out. 

Topaz stared as they emerged from their refuge. Her mouth opened and closed as if she wanted to yell for Aquamarine, but couldn't. Yellow Pearl didn't know what Topaz had been expecting, but the Diamond’s Pearls, bleeding and covered in bandages, was clearly not it. Looking at her expression, which contained equal amounts of shock and fear, Yellow Pearl felt her own confidence boost. Convincing Topaz to let them go was going to be simpler than she had expected. Topaz, despite her size, looked easily imitated, and that would work to Yellow Pearl’s advantage. Yellow knew how deal with other gems, to hold her ground. She had a strategy. As soon as she was out of the doorway, she got right up in Topaz’s face. 

“Excuse me.” Yellow Pearl said to Topaz, her voice shot with superiority. Yellow found that the most effective technique for dealing with other gems was to remind them that although she was a Pearl, she was a Diamond’s Pearl, and they  _ would  _ answer to her, whether they liked it or not. They couldn't touch her. And it made most of them back off. Yellow Pearl just hoped it was the right approach with Topaz. She sensed Blue Pearl’s presence behind her, silently backing her up. 

“Uh, Uh, Aquamarine, Aquamarine!” Topaz began to yell. Yellow Pearl clapped a hand over Topaz’s mouth. Topaz made no move to restrain her. 

“Shut up!” Yellow Pearl hissed. She waited there for several agonizing seconds, one hand over Topaz’s mouth, ears perked for any sign of Aquamarine, heart pounding away. After a couple moments, Yellow’s shoulders relaxed and she let out a silent breath of relief. Deciding that the coast was clear, she straightened up to say her piece. 

“Listen up, Topaz. I am going to let you go and you are going to let us leave. You are going to keep your mouth shut. You are not going to tell anyone you saw us here. You are going to pretend nothing happened. And in return, I won’t tell the Diamonds about what you and your friend have said. Is that clear?” It was a desperate bluff. If Topaz turned them in, she and Aquamarine would be celebrated and both Pearls would be shattered. Anything they tried to say afterwards would be labeled as desperate lies from desperate gems, if the Pearls even got to speak at all. Yellow was just hoping that Topaz was to dumb or intimidated to figure that out. 

Yellow Pearl released Topaz and, with a final look, began to walk confidently down the hall, Blue Pearl trailing in her wake. Yellow knew that confidence was key. Show weakness, and they would be after you in a second.

“Wait!” Yellow Pearl heard Topaz shout from behind them. She kept walking.  _ Don’t look back, don’t look back, don’t look back _ She thought to herself.  _ Don’t, don’t don’t- _

“Hey, wait! Wait, I can’t let you go!” Yellow Pearl broke into a run. She heard two pairs of feet pounding behind her, Topaz’s heavy and Blue Pearl’s light.

Yellow’s heart was in her throat. No faster for her injuries, her body ached and screamed at her as she ran, ran, ran, as fast as she could go, streaking down the empty halls on pure adrenaline. Still, she wasn't fast enough. Topaz was gaining. She could hear Blue Pearl’s footfalls pitter-pattering behind her, and Topaz’s much larger, heavier ones frighteningly close behind those. If Topaz nabbed Blue, it would all be over.

The two Pearls could never outrun Topaz, but maybe a succession of sharp turns could throw her off their tail? It was their only hope. Yellow Pearl thought immediately of a twisty and confusing part of the castle, not too far from where they were. It had been built and rebuilt so many times that it was full of narrow spaces, forgotten places and sharp turns. Even better, there and rarely a soul in sight. Yellow Pearl’s speed increased as her mind grabbed hold of the hastily-made plan and held on tight to it. She continued to run, turning twice, the half-formed idea filling her with a refreshing boost of motivation and hope. Now that she wasn’t just sprinting crazily, the ground felt firmer under her feet. Her screaming muscles and aching injuries hurt less as direction cleared her vision and made the way ahead easier. Yellow just hoped that Blue Pearl could avoid being caught until they had a chance to lose Topaz.

The aforementioned chance arose soon enough. Once in the older section, a hallway approached that made a sharp right, then branched left, then split into three different passages leading into blackness. Her breath coming out in great, rib-wracking gasps, Yellow Pearl swerved, agilely ducking around the first corner, then the second, then bolting down one of the corridors. It was hard to tell from the pounding of her heart, but Pearl was pretty sure that Topaz’s footsteps had stopped. Maybe Topaz hadn't seen which passage she and Blue Pearl had bolted down in the darkness. That was the hope, anyway. 

Everything was going well. Until Yellow hit a wall.   
_Wham!_ The passage dead-ended. Without light, Yellow Pearl had been unable to see the hard chrome right in front of her face. She felt her hurt nose smash into the wall and contribute another injury to her already varied collection. She doubled over in pain for a moment, cupping her face, until Blue Pearl hurtled out of the blackness behind her and rammed straight into her side. The two of them tumbled to the ground. In her ear, Yellow heard Blue gasp out a “Sorry” as they lay in a pile at the foot of the wall, trying to control their breathing for fear that Topaz would hear it. 

For a moment, Topaz seemed to have taken a wrong hallway. For a moment, they heard nothing. For a moment, they were safe. But then a bright, blinding light flooded the hallway and both Pearls saw Topaz at the far end of it, one hand on a light panel, her eyes fixed directly on them. 

“Stop!” Yellow tried shouting, but her commands weren’t working, and the Topaz began to advance on the two smaller gems huddled at the foot of the dead end. Yellow’s breath came out in panicky gasps and her chest heaved, but she tried to focus on the incoming threat. “I said stop!”

Topaz didn't stop. She approached carefully, warily, like someone advancing on a mildly dangerous organic life form. She crouched down and blocked the exit of the hallway from the Pearls as best she could. “I’m really sorry about this.” She whispered. “I haven’t got a choice.” 

“Stop!” Yellow Pearl was acting like a broken record, but she didn't know what else to do. Topaz wasn't responding.

“I hope you don't get into too much trouble.” Topaz muttered, looking unhappy.

“Think about what you’re doing, Topaz.” Yellow Pearl’s head whipped around to find that it was Blue Pearl who had spoken. “You don't have to hurt us.” 

“Blue…” Yellow reprimanded in a furious whisper. “Let me handle this.” Blue Pearl was great and all, but she had always been quiet- too quiet- and tame. She couldn't help with this.

But, to Yellow Pearl’s surprise, Topaz reacted to Blue’s words. Her eyes looked tearful and her voice quivered a little. “Yes I do. You  _ know _ I do.” She was getting really close. Yellow Pearl wondered what Topaz would do once she reached them. “You heard Aquamarine, didn't you? She knows I’m gone by now. If I don’t bring you back with me I’ll get in trouble too. And I’m  _ already _ in trouble.” 

“Oh no. What happened?” Blue Pearl’s voice was quiet, but clear as a bell. She had sat up and was watching Topaz inch closer. Yellow Pearl wanted to strangle her. What a stupid question.

“ Well…” Topaz started. She was really close now. “There was this thing… this thing that happened with these humans and Rose Quartz… and I got really mad… and I attacked…” She broke off doubtfully “Well… but it doesn't matter now. I can’t let you go.” 

Blue Pearl looked at Topaz thoughtfully. “Rose Quartz? There's been a lot of fuss about her lately.” Why was Blue Pearl trying to talk to Topaz about Rose Quartz at a time like this? Yellow Pearl could’ve screamed at her, except she was worried that it wouldn't help their chances for escape. 

“Yeah.” Topaz said, sadly. “Me and Aquamarine found her. Brought her in. But she was so nice.” Topaz relaxed her defensive position a bit. Blue Pearl slowly stood up. “I wanted to help her…”

“And what happened?”

“I shouldn't be telling you this.”

“Don’t worry. We won't be able to tell another soul when you turn us in.” Blue Pearl said seriously. Topaz winced a little. 

“No, it’s not that. I just…” She took a deep breath, steeling herself. “ I attacked Aquamarine” Topaz muttered. She slumped down a little bit, stared at the floor. Blue and Yellow Pearl gasped in unison. “I was just so mad, because Rose Quartz was so nice, and I started to feel, like, you know, like we were the bad guys…” Attacked Aquamarine! Oh Diamonds, that was bad. A Topaz attacking an Aquamarine? And siding with Rose Quartz! She would be shattered without trial and without questions. Yellow Pearl stood up and Topaz made no move to stop her. In fact, Topaz slumped on the floor and put her face in her hands. Yellow would've tried to escape then if she didn't know Topaz was so fast. 

“Hey” Blue Pearl said gently. She scooted over to Topaz and settled on the floor next to her, putting her delicate hand on Topaz's meaty arm in a gesture of comfort. “It’ll be alright.” She said quietly. Yellow Pearl stared incredulously at her, but Blue Pearl pretended not to notice. “It’ll be ok, Topaz.”

“I attacked Aquamarine!” Topaz’s voice wailed from beneath her arms. “I thought she was gonna separate me, and she was so mad, and I just… I just…” 

“I know.”

“And now I have to get you guys in trouble, but I really don't want to…”

“It’s ok.”

“You’re just so nice, and I don't want to hurt you…”  _ Wow, _ Yellow Pearl thought.  _ Who knew that Topaz was such an emotional wreck. _

“It’s ok, Topaz.”

Topaz sniffed and look up, wiping at her eyes. “Everything’s just falling apart.”

“Yeah. It’s alright.” Blue Pearl murmured gently. There was a pause. Yellow Pearl felt kind of awkward, just standing there in the hall. She would have interjected had she thought that whatever Blue Pearl was doing wasn’t working, but it seemed like it was. Blue seemed to have found her way into Topaz’s favor. “We weren't doing anything bad” Blue Pearl started quietly. Everything about Blue Pearl seemed to be quiet and small- her footsteps, her movements, her voice. “When you found us, I mean. Our Diamonds… they hurt us… so we were just going to…” 

But before she could get the rest out, Yellow Pearl rushed forward and clapped a hand over Blue Pearl’s mouth. “Nothing! We were going to nothing. We’re fine.” Yellow Pearl said with a nervous laugh. Topaz stared at her. 

Blue Pearl grabbed Yellow Pearls’ hand and pushed it away from her mouth. “Yellow. We can trust her.”

“Are you kidding!?” Yellow Pearl furiously whispered, trying and failing to prevent Topaz from hearing the conversation. “We can’t trust her as far as we can throw her.”

“She won’t tell. Right?” Blue Pearl asked Topaz, who hastily nodded. 

“She is literally trying to arrest us.”

“She may do that, but she won’t betray us.”

“Do you even know what the definition of betrayal is?!”

“She told us  _ her _ secrets.”

“Her secrets don’t protect every Pearl in this castle!”

“Yellow, I’ve  _ got _ this”

Yellow Pearl was about to continue protesting when she looked at Blue Pearl’s face. It was screwed up with determination and, more than that,  _ hope _ . Blue believed she could get them both out of this mess. Yellow wouldn't have trusted her except that she herself had no better ideas. Wordlessly, Yellow Pearl nodded and took a step back.

Topaz stared at them both in confusion.

“My friend Yellow Pearl is just a little afraid of new gems.” Blue said in that quiet manner of hers. “You see, I was just going to tell you that we were going to fix ourselves up with the medical supplies in the secret closet.” 

Topaz gasped quietly. “Medical supplies? But Pearls aren't allowed those without permission! I saw you with the bandages, but… I thought that maybe… maybe your Diamonds had given them to you… ”  
In response, Blue Pearl then held out her arm, which was heavily bandaged and speckled with red. Topaz stared at it while Blue spoke. “Please. Others depend on the medicine in that closet.” Topaz considered that for a moment, then reclined her head in quiet respect. “I understand. My friend had to do that, once. Steal medicine.” She took a deep breath, then looked both Pearls in the eyes (or the place where Blue Pearl’s eyes were covered by her bangs). “Your secret is safe with me.” 

Yellow Pearl let out a breath she didn't know that she had been holding. 

“I… I can't just take you in now, can I?” Topaz muttered miserably. “You would be shattered for sure, and all the medicine would be taken away… I can’t do that to you. No. I can’t.” She straightened, having made a decision. “This would be really dangerous… but I think that I might be able to… lie our way out of this.” Yellow Pearl stared at her, open-mouthed. “We all would get in such huge trouble if anyone found out, but… I could go to Aquamarine. Tell her I chased you but didn't catch you. And tell her that I didn't recognize you either. She would be mad, and might give me a few shocks, but… you would be shattered otherwise. So really, there is no choice here. Do you guys think…?” She trailed off, uncertain. “I mean… is it a good idea?”

Yellow was in some sort of shock. Did Topaz just offer to sacrifice her own safety to protect them? That was unheard of. It wasn't done. The Diamond hierarchy was a cruel place, and soft gems were weeded out almost instantly. Some toughened up. Others learned the hard way that heroics only got you shattered. Yet here Topaz was, offering to help two Pearls she had just met. Blue Pearl didn’t seem that surprised, however. Happy, but not surprised. “Topaz.” Blue Pearl said gently, sincerely. “Thank you.” 

Topaz blushed a little. “Just don't tell anyone about the stuff Aquamarine said, or about me, you know…?” Attacking her, Yellow Pearl silently finished for Topaz. “We would both get into real trouble.”

“Of course we won’t tell.” Blue Pearl said kindly. “Just keep our secret too, ok?” 

“You got it.” Topaz stood and gave a genuine smile, the first one the Pearls had seen. Blue Pearl rose too, and held out her hand for Topaz to shake.

“I really don't know how to thank you for this. You’ve saved our lives.”

“Just be careful. Some other gems wouldn't hesitate to ruin you.” Topaz pulled Blue Pearl into a short and surprisingly gentle hug while Yellow watched with her jaw hanging open. When Topaz released Blue, she turned to Yellow. “Same goes to you, Yellow. Take care.” Yellow Pearl raised her hand in an awkward half-wave and Topaz returned the gesture. Turning away from them both, Topaz took a deep breath and wiped her eyes again before lumbering down the corridor, where she quickly disappeared from sight.

Yellow and Blue watched Topaz wander away. Neither of them spoke, even after she disappeared. Yellow Pearl couldn't believe that that had _worked_. Topaz had been about to turn them in and then she_ hadn't_. Not because she was scared. Because she wanted to help them. She had saved their skin because she liked them. 

Yellow Pearl looked at Blue with a touch more respect that she had before. Yellow still wasn't exactly sure what Blue had done to save them, but clearly it had worked. She was beyond relieved.

Then the situation that they both were in began to come back to her- they were two Pearls, the _ Diamond’s _ Pearls, standing in a fully lit corridor, covered in illegal medical supplies. Anybody could see them. Although few gems came around these parts, that didn’t mean they couldn't. Suddenly, Yellow Pearl had never felt more exposed.

“We have to get out of here.” Yellow Pearl said suddenly, and Blue Pearl nodded her agreement. “And we have to get rid of these bandages.” They couldn't walk around the castle wearing bandages. Someone was sure to see them. The Pearls had been extraordinarily lucky that they hadn’t seen any gems on the run here, but that was no guarantee that they wouldn't see any on the way back to The Diamond’s chambers. Yellow Pearl considered just dumping the bandages here, at the end of this forgotten dead-end hall, but she knew that would just guarantee their capture. Bloody medical supplies randomly sitting around were highly suspicious. Someone was bound to find them, in a day or in a year, and when they did it would be child’s play to run a quick identification test on the blood stains and see that they belonged to a certain two Pearls. No, they had to get rid of the bandages a better way. Usually, they would be thrown in the Mirage’s trash disposal, which led straight to the incinerator, but going back there was too dangerous. For all the Pearls knew, Aquamarine was still trying to force her way in. It looked like Yellow and Blue would have to make an incinerator run on their own. “We’re gonna have to burn em’.” Yellow Pearl gestured to the bandages on them both. 

Blue Pearl gave a nod of agreement. “We should remove them now and them make a break for the incinerator. Hide them behind our backs, if we can.” She began to unwrap the one around her arm while Yellow Pearl got to work on the one on her own head. As she did so, she felt a tug on her back and realized that she still had White Diamond’s letter, which she had stuffed in the back of her leotard on the way to the mirage. In all the commotion, she had forgotten about it. She tucked it firmly in place, mentally making a promise to deliver is as soon as this whole ordeal was over with. 

She was happy to find that she was healing quite fast- her head still hurt, but not as badly, and she could feel that her split lip was on the mend. Her shoulder, which seemed to have been disclosed when Yellow Diamond hit her, still throbbed, but she could now move her arm with minimal pain. Her nose was numb but no longer hurting. And everything had stopped bleeding, which was a positive. Yellow Pearl said a silent thank you to Homeworld’s advanced medicine. Without the bandages, she could almost have passed for normal again.

Having unwrapped the bandage on her head and pulled the gauze out of her nose, Yellow went to check if Blue was dealing with hers okay. “Do you need any assistance?” It could be rather awkward to unwrap a bandage using only one hand, which meant that arm injuries, like Blue’s, were unfortunate. 

“No.” Came Blue’s quiet voice. “I’m alright.”

“Good.” Yellow Pearl hesitated. She had a question on her lips, but wasn't quite sure how to ask it. “Um, Blue…” Realizing how uncertain her voice sounded, Yellow Pearl quickly forced strength into it.  _ Show no weakness _ , that was her motto, and she intended to stick to it. “How exactly did you  _ do _ that?”

“Do what?”

“Get Topaz to help us. You didn't even yell at her and she still did exactly what you wanted.”

“No, she did what  _ she _ wanted. I just made her want it.”

“That doesn't make very much sense.”

“Sometimes, Yellow, gems will do nice things because of reasons other than threats.” Blue Pearl responded, not unkindly. “All I did was show her a little kindness and she decided that she didn't want to hurt us. Is that so strange?”

“It is here. Most gems under direct Diamond administration can’t afford to be kind.”

“I like to believe that everyone can afford to be kind. At least a little bit.” Blue Pearl spoke to the floor and her voice became so soft that Yellow had trouble hearing it. 

“Blue, no offense, but that’s just not how this works. Strength is the only thing gems respond to, at least ‘round here. Maybe in a perfect world, but if kindness is your strategy for dealing with this job, I don’t know how you’re still alive.”

“The whole strength technique didn't really work out for us with Topaz, did it?” Well. She had a point there. But then again, Topaz was the only gem that Yellow Pearl had ever met who responded to kindness. Not that Yellow had tried the whole being nice thing very much. Blue Pearl was quiet for a moment, and for a second Yellow was convinced that she was done speaking. But then she whispered, in her faintest voice yet; “Truth be told, I'm not really sure how I’m still alive either.”

There was silence after that. Yellow Pearl watched Blue unwrap her arm and tentatively flex it, wincing. Both Pearls gathered up their pile of bandages and, hiding them behind their backs in case another gem saw them, slowly made their way out into the corridor. As expected, there was nobody around.  _ The incinerator isn't that far.  _ Yellow Pearl thought to herself.  _ If we could just make it there… _

The two gems crept down the corridors carefully, suspiciously, darting across intersections and pressing themselves against a wall whenever they heard a noise. Wary of listening devices anywhere in the halls, they were both careful not to speak or even breathe too loudly. Soon, they began to hear a loud roaring, and knew that they were getting close to their destination. 

The incinerator had existed for hundreds of thousands of years and was one of the first things that had been built in Lumecia - a big pit the size of a cathedral that went down deep into the earth’s core. Every manner of things were dropped down there - old kindergarten machines, outdated ships, and even other gems, when someone wanted to get rid of someone else quickly and cleanly. Thousands of holes riddled the circular walls of the pit - big ones, for pushing hulking machines through, and little ones, for quietly disposing radioactive waste barrels. A high ceiling made of earth and stone curved over the blistering hot hole. Despite the size of the place, it was nearly impossible not to feel claustrophobic. 

Yellow and Blue Pearl headed towards one of the small, deep entrances, a place where no one was likely to see them. As they moved through the tunnel, still creeping despite the fact that it was impossible for anyone to hear them over the noise of the pit, the Pearls felt the air around them begin to heat and the ground become scorching. They kept on their toes as they neared the entrance and the incinerator came into view. It was a sight that always made Yellow Pearl feel small and insignificant, the sheer size of it was so astonishing. Large Gems toiled away at the other end of the pit, pushing a massive hunk of metal past a ledge that dropped into the pulsing mass of red. Luckily, the other Gems were far enough away that they had no chance of seeing and recognizing the Pearls. Yellow watched as a chunk of glass fell from somewhere above her into the boiling red-black darkness below. 

“Well, well, well.”

The words came from somewhere behind her. Yellow Pearl felt her lungs freeze up and her back stiffen she heard it. She knew that voice. She knew that voice from somewhere… 

Yellow and Blue turned slowly to find the yellow-haired Jasper from the BMO blocking their exit and staring at them with a vicious grin.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Pearls take a necessary risk.

“The Diamonds’ Pearls? What could you be doing so far from your master’s chambers?” Jasper’s voice was smug, gleeful, sadistic. “Could it have anything to do with those bandages you’re trying to hide from me?” Both Pearls swiveled around and hurled their armloads of white wrappings into the pit, but it was too late. Jasper had already seen. 

They had been so close. So close to getting out of this mess. Five more seconds and all proof of any wrongdoing would have been destroyed. They could have gone back to their Diamonds and pretended like this had never happened. Five freaking seconds. Yellow Pearl wanted to scream. 

“Jasper, what we’re doing is none of your business. You have no right to inquire into the personal going-ons of The Diamonds.” Yellow Pearl forced confidence into her voice. It was a desperate bluff that would never work, especially since Jasper had just seen them both throw their bandages away like guilty criminals. But maybe it could buy them some time.

“Are you sure that Your Diamonds are aware of these going-on’s of theirs?” Jasper was smug. Gloating. Yellow resisted the urge to punch her right in her stupid face as Jasper raised her arms and laughed.

And both Pearls ran. Jasper’s thrown-back head and gleeful position gave them the opportunity that they had been waiting for. They took off like rockets, ducking under Jaspers outstretched arms, and were already twenty feet down the corridor when they heard her indignant “Hey!” from behind them. A moment later they heard her furious footsteps start pounding on the ground, and for the second time that day they were both being chased around the castle. Yellow Pearl hoped this would not become a new pattern. 

“Get back here you little…!” Unlike Topaz, Jasper shouted angrily as she ran. A string of profanities and violent threats certainly provided them encouragement enough to keep running. Yellow Pearl had no idea where she was going, except that she was following Blue Pearl. The hallways began to blur together and she hoped that Blue had a destination in mind, because they couldn't keep this up. Yellow already had a stitch in her side that was beginning to burn and she was starting to feel sick. Not only was Jasper was catching up to them, but Yellow could’ve sworn that she was getting faster every second. Yellow focused on the hallway ahead of her, on each sharp turn and each footfall on the hard floor.  _ Just keep running _ , she thought.  _ Keep running, keep running, keep running, keep… _

Yellow Pearl followed Blue Pearl through narrow, zigzagging passageways until she burst through a small doorway and into a wide room full of hundreds of ships. The massive space was easily recognizable as one of the primary hangers in the castle. Thick metal walls enclosed the rectangular room and two small doorways on opposite ends marked the only exits. Roaming eye ships sat unmoving in their docks and massive Diamond’s ships lay inert on structured flooring. The ceiling was composed of sliding plates that could open and close, allowing ships to fly in and out of the room. At the moment, every single plate was shut tightly. Yellow Pearl regretfully remembered the order she had given the Jadeites in the control room only a few hours earlier.  _ No one comes, no one leaves _ \- her own words floated through her head mockingly. Escape by ship was no longer an option, not that it would've been a good idea if it was possible. She had nowhere to escape  _ to _ . Still, it was definitely demoralizing to realize that even her worst ideas were no longer on the table. She cut her eyes away from the ships and focused instead on making it to the next doorway.  _ Keep running, keep running, keep running...  _

Yellow was almost out of the shipyard when Blue Pearl, still running ahead of her, suddenly altered course and began to veer to the right. She was heading towards one of the largest ships in the place, her attention wholly focused on it and her stride set with determination. She looked like she had an idea, a plan. Glancing behind her, Yellow Pearl saw Jasper change direction, start heading for Blue Pearl rather than for her- and Yellow saw her chance. The door, the exit to the hanger, was right there- right in front of her- and Jasper was focused on Blue. If she just kept running, Yellow Pearl might be able to slip away. Hide and escape. By the time Jasper ratted her out to the Diamonds, Yellow Pearl would be long gone. She would get out and… then what? Get kidnapped and sold to someone else? At least it offered a chance to escape the shattering that was sure to be coming her way if she stayed. Then again, if she fled, there would be no going back. Maybe there was still a way to undo this horrible situation. 

And then there was Blue Pearl. If she ran, Yellow would be leaving her for dead. But since when had Yellow ever cared about other gems? Sure, Blue had stuck with her, and helped with Topaz, and probably saved Yellow’s life. And sure, Blue was intelligent and gentle. And it did occur to Yellow that she may miss Blue if she was shattered. But… the door was right there.  _ Right there _ . 

She almost did it. But an unknown, foreign kind of fear twisted in Yellow Pearl’s gut as she watched Blue run away from her, and in a split second, she decided to follow. She wasn't sure why- in fact, her brain screamed at her feet as they changed direction. But, although she would never admit it, Yellow Pearl would hate herself until the day she died if she abandoned Blue in that shipyard to be shattered.

And then she was catching up to Blue Pearl just as Blue was prying open the door of the ship. Gold lettering on it’s side labeled it  _ The Munly. _ It was a massive behemoth of a ship- a Diamond’s ship, Yellow Pearl realized with a sinking feeling in her gut. Yellow Diamonds’ ship, although the monarch never used it, preferring to fly around in her palanquin or use warp pads. It was painted bright yellow, and was shaped a bit like a saucer - big and flat, but more ovular in shape, and with a large engine at the back. The front of it narrowed almost to a point and the cockpit rose out of the structure slightly, allowing larger gems, like Diamonds, to have as much room as possible. It was unlocked, just like every other ship in the place, because they couldn’t fly out of their hanger if the ceiling hatches weren't open anyway.

The two Pearls hurled themselves into The Munly. It’s interior was composed of a wide open space and a single chair that sat in front of a long dashboard covered with buttons and switches. Yellow had no idea what Blue was planning, but from the way she slammed and locked the door behind them both, trapping Jasper out of the cockpit (and themselves in it), it was clear she had some idea of what she was doing. Blue turned and pushed her hands into the screen on the dashboard, the thing automatically coming alive at her touch, and quickly began to prepare the ship for departure. Most gems would be unable to even get into the ship’s systems, what with the high security and all, but as Diamonds’ Pearls, they had access to all the Diamonds’ vehicles, though they never actually piloted any.

Through the window on the ship’s door, Yellow Pearl could see Jasper pounding against The Munly in a rage, still yelling threats and curses. She was trying to get in, and Yellow wouldn't be surprised if she could, given time. They couldn't let her have that time. Yellow turned to look at Blue Pearl’s progress with the controls and saw the ship was still warming up- something that only vehicles of this massive size had to do anymore.

Trying and failing not to panic, Yellow Pearl screeched at Blue Pearl over the growing noise of the engines “What were you thinking?! Now we're trapped in this stupid room, on this stupid ship!” Yellow Pearl didn’t see the use in getting the ship going if they couldn't leave the hanger with it... unless… “Are you trying to  _ shatter _ Jasper?!” With a ship this size, technically they _ could. _ All they would have to do was run Jasper over, clean and simple. She would be crushed, and if that didn't shatter her, they could do it themselves once Jasper was poofed. The thought made her stomach turn, but… it could be their only option.

“ _ No, _ I’m not trying to kill Jasper!” Blue Pearl responded to the question in the loudest voice Yellow Pearl had ever heard her use. It was almost offended. However, her tone went back to it’s normal quiet waver as she muttered “I’m getting us out of here.”

“Well then we need to leave  _ now! _ When will this ship be ready!”

To which Blue replied, her hands working away at the controls quickly and nimbly (where had she learned to do that?) “Soon.” Her voice was strained but forcibly calm. What did that mean?  _ Soon _ . The ship would be ready  _ soon _ . When was  _ soon _ ? Could they afford  _ soon _ ? 

“And how do you propose we get out of this hanger?! Nothing can break through those metal plates on the ceiling, and they sure as hell aren't opening anytime soon!” Yellow Pearl felt almost bad for being so furious, but every nerve in her body felt strung tight with panic. She couldn't help it.

“The  _ ceiling _ isn't the only exit from this place, Yellow.” How Blue Pearl managed to express her impatience without yelling was a mystery, but she did it. “We go through the walls.”

“The  _ walls  _ are steel-plated too, idiot!”

“Not all of them.” Blue’s sense of forced calm was infuriating. But as Yellow glanced around the room, she saw that Blue was right- the walls with the doorways in them, the two at the very end of the hanger, were made of a softer metal. They looked paler and duller than then the rest of the room. With a ship of this power, they  _ could _ smash through them… but they would have to be careful. Because neither of them knew anything about piloting, they would probably crash  _ The Munly _ the second it lifted off the ground, forget about trying to steer it through a wall. And even if they could pilot it through… 

“We’re underground!” It’s solid dirt beyond there!” Trapped. They were trapped, and they were going to die. This was the end.

“No, there’s another passage behind it.”   
“Are you referring to the one behind the doorway? Because that passage! Was made! For gems! It’s not even close to big enough to take this ship!”

“This hangar used to be a lot bigger until somebody decided to wall off half of it, a long time ago. This half they left open, for ships, and the other part they filled with a second and third floor and passageways that all got closed off later because of structural issues. Only the hall that connected to this hangar was left open, but the rest of the space is still there. The structures in there aren't strong enough to hold if we fly at them at full strength. And the metal plates on the roof were only added recently, so the ceiling beyond our wall shouldn't have them. We can crash through.” Blue spoke in a quiet rush, not even looking at Yellow. She was fully focused on gearing up The Munly.

“Is our ship even strong enough to do that?!”  
“It will be once I enable the armor.”  
Yellow Pearl’s mind scrambled to find something else that could go wrong, but she had to admit, it was an okay plan. There was nothing above their exit point except airspace, because, of course, they were near a shipyard. And if they went at that wall with the right trajectory and strength… 

Jasper had ripped the handle off the ship door, and was still trying to claw her way inside when Blue Pearl revved the engine. Through the window, Yellow could see Jasper’s eyes go wide, her mouth open in shock, and an expression of pure rage cross her face as she made the assumption that the Pearls were aiming to crush her. Jasper stopped pounding at the door- in fact, she backed away entirely, and, with a final venomous glance at the ship, began running for the opening at the end of the hall. The same opening that Blue Pearl planned to crash through in a bid for freedom.

Jasper had just disappeared through the door when Blue Pearl professed “Engines are at full power.” And began to type commands into a virtual keyboard. With a smooth motion that was almost unnatural for a ship its size, The Munly rotated on it’s wheels, maneuvering into a good position for takeoff. With a slight clunking noise, armored plates slid over the body of the ship, encasing it in tough steel and angry spikes. Blue had picked a perfect ship for this endeavor, one with full armor and strong rockets. Yellows’ heart beat loudly in her chest and her stomach flipped with nerves, but somewhere under her crushing fear of failure, a small strain of hope tickled her gem. There was only one problem.

“You can fly this thing, right?” 

For a moment, Yellow Pearl thought she saw Blue Pearl’s lips quirk into an amused smile. Then it disappeared, replaced with her usual neutral expression, making Yellow Pearl wonder if she had only imagined it. “Yes. I can.” 

“This is crazy. You know that this is absolutely bonkers, right?”

This time Yellow Pearl definitely didn't imagine the wicked grin that crossed Blue Pearls face as she said, in her quiet way, “Yup.”

And then the world flew into turmoil as the ship shot forwards, aiming directly at the chosen wall. Yellow Pearl was violently thrown back and barely managed to save her head from hitting the cockpit’s gleaming wall by grabbing the back of the pilot's chair, where Blue Pearl was already sitting, barely hanging on to the controls. Metal crashed and screamed as layers of flooring were ripped apart, and The Munly groaned ceaselessly as it’s armor and power was put to the test. Yellow glanced out the window but all she could see was darkness speckled with a few points of light that flashed by too quickly for anything to be seen in them. The ship tilted precariously, finally shaking Yellow from the pilot's chair and sending her sliding across the shiny metal floor to the back of the ship. The Munly’s controls beeped as Blue desperately toggled switches and pushed buttons that Yellow Pearl couldn't name, and Yellow Diamond’s envelope pressed into her back, half forgotten about, and the vibrations of the ship made everything sound funny, and her brain bounced around her skull, and it was loud, and the ship was small, and she couldn't think straight, and she was on the verge of a panic attack when-

With one huge, final crash, the ship evened out. The crazy vibrations stopped, although the engines still emitted a faint hum. The sounds of ripping metal ceased and the yellowish sky of the planet Lumecia could be seen from beyond the window. They were out. They were safe.

Yellow Pearl allowed herself to enjoy that thought for a full three seconds before the realization sank in that no, they weren't safe. Just a few hours ago Yellow Pearl had ordered extra patrols to ensure that no one left the planet. The Pearls probably had about twenty seconds, max, before every Roaming Eye ship in the city was hot on their tail. Not to mention the robanoids, Amethysts, and security gems all over Lumecia who would be manning massive weapons. They were probably in more danger here than they had been in when Jasper was chasing them around the castle.

Sometimes Yellow Pearl really hated her life.

The most pressing threat was easily the Roaming Eye ships. Unlike most other patrols, Roaming Eye ships were not planet-bound, so unless the Pearls could lose them somehow, the Roaming Eyes would follow them on or off the planet Galojaya. Their best bet was to out-race the red ships. Roaming Eyes were good patrol ships- good at finding things, but not always good at catching them. They weren't made for speed. And hopefully, by the time it would take the ships to group up and come after them, The Munly would have enough of a head-start that they could get off the planet and disappear among the stars. 

Yellow Pearl staggered to her feet and up to the control panel, where Blue Pearl was managing the ship with surprising skill. It looked like she had done this before, but when? Yellow Pearl made a mental note to ask her later, but now was hardly the time. They had far bigger problems. “Security will have seen us by now! We’ll have people on our tail in moments. We need to gun it. Outrunning them is our best bet.” Yellow Pearl’s voice was tight with fear.

“We’ve already  _ got _ people on our tail.” A statement of fact, calm and simple and true. Yellow Pearl looked at the dashboard and saw a small screen with a blue blinking dot- that was The Munly _ \-  _ and four red blinking dots closing in on it from behind. No, five dots- six-  _ nine _ \- the entire bottom of the screen was being overloaded with red marks, too many to count. And they were getting closer.

“They’re gaining! Why are they gaining?!”

“Our escape from the hanger damaged the ship more than anticipated. One of our engines is out and our hull took serious damage. We can't go at full speed without consequences.” Diamond knows how Blue Pearl kept so level-headed under pressure.

“What kind of consequences?!”

Blue Pearl just shrugged in response. Yellow Pearl supposed that Blue had spoken more in the past hour than in the last  _ month _ . Diamonds, she was infuriating. 

“Whatever they are, they can’t be worse than being caught! We have to risk it. Aim straight up, make a break for open space, and try to get us as far from here as you can. Do whatever it takes to lose those Rubies!”  
“This ship could fall apart under us.”

Oh.  _ That _ kind of consequence. The ship falling apart under them meant certain death, or worse, floating aimlessly around in space forever. Still, the Pearls would be shattered anyway if the Roaming Eye ships caught them. Not only for the medicine that the Jasper would no doubt rat about, but for massive damage to the Castle, attempted escape, and ship theft. Not to mention the fact that everyone in the city had surely seen The Munly burst out of the ground like an Amethyst out of a kindergarten, so the trial would be public. Humiliation  _ and _ death. And, unless they could get this ship to outrace their pursuers, they had no chance of escape. So really, they had no choice. If the ship collapsed under them, well… 

“Do it.”

Blue Pearl nodded. She took a deep breath and muttered. “Here goes nothing.” So quietly that Yellow Pearl barely heard her. Then Blue’s hands went to work, flipping switches and little levers, tapping multi-colored buttons and checking whatever little radars and dials were scattered around the dashboard. 

The hum of the engines built into a loud whine and the ship began to shudder underneath them. The pressure in the cabin increased and Yellow Pearl once again found herself clinging to the back of Blue’s chair for support as invisible forces tried to drag her towards the back of the ship. The yellow of the world outside the window faded into a soft mauve, then a deep lavender, than a raisin purple, and finally settled into a velvet black speckled with stars. The many red dots on the radar began to drop off screen as The Munly gained speed and put distance between itself and the roaming eye ships. Yellow Pearl felt her heart hammering in her throat as she waited for the ship to fall apart around her, but relief also flooded her chest as the last of the red dots disappeared from the screen. The Munly was an even faster ship than Yellow had hoped. The Pearls easily outpaced their pursuers, and in a matter of minutes they were millions of miles away from Galojaya. The Munly was still whole and they were only gaining speed as she flew through the stars, putting planets and suns and solar systems between the Pearls and their Diamonds. The interior of the ship was quiet, peaceful, and bathed in a soft yellow glow from light fixtures on the ceiling. The noise of the engines had dissipated into almost nothing. Blue Pearl calmly sat in the pilot's chair, flying the ship like she had been made to do just that, looking peaceful and almost happy. Seeing her there caused Yellow’s heart twinge just a little, although why, she wasn't sure. But that wasn't important. What was important was that they had made it. They were alive. Yellow Pearl was beginning to feel like something was going right for a change. 

Unfortunately, that’s when the ship began to slow.

There was a loud shudder from the engines, and then buttons and alarms all over the dashboard began beeping and flashing insistently. Blue Pearl busily flipped switches and checked gauges, moving at light speed as she tried to do everything at once. “We’re going to have to land.” she muttered, looking pale. “Hold on.” Yellow Pearl saw Blue adjust their course- they were now headed, not for empty space, but for the nearest planet in the nearest solar system. The Munly began to shudder and jolt back and forth. Yellow felt sort of sick as it tilted this way and that and the alarms screamed out a rhythm that pounded in her head. She didn't want to die. She  _ really _ didn't want to die. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to focus on her breathing.

Sadly, closing her eyes only induced more panic than keeping them open, so when the ship made a bunch of questionable clunking noise that didn't sound very safe, Yellow Pearl chanced a glance out the window instead. Miracle of miracles, they had managed to enter the atmosphere of whatever little planet this was. A mix of blue, green, and gray tumbled around outside the window, the ship moving too fast to get a proper look at whatever the colors belonged to. Yellow Pearl felt relief for a split second - now that they had entered the atmosphere, they could find a place to land, and avoid getting stranded in space - until she realized that the ship was not really flying towards the ground so much as falling towards it. They were hurtling downwards, much too fast. Much, much too fast. Blue Pearl yanked levers and pounded buttons with a previously unseen desperation, but nothing she did seemed to have any effect on the ship’s decent. Yellow Pearl wanted to help, but as she knew nothing about flying, all she could do was stare out the window with mounting horror as smoke from their own ship drifted past the thick glass, and The Munly became a piece of useless metal in the sky. Their plummet gained speed until they were falling so fast that Yellow felt as though her stomach had flown out of her body through her ears and her heart had just up and quit. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the end, trying to come up with some final, meaningful words to say before she died when- 

Yellow found herself being suddenly pressed hard into the floor as Blue managed to get the thrusters going and pull out of the dive seconds before they would have hit the dirt. The ship groaned as the ninety-degree turn was made, but it began to fly properly again, moving quickly and hovering a few feet from the ground. Outside the window, Yellow Pearl could see that they were now skimming along flat grey land with a deep blue sky above them. 

She wasn’t dead. Blue Pearl had saved them.

“Blue! We almost  _ died!  _ How did you- that was amazing! We ma-” 

And then the thrusters, having used the last of their juice in that final, daring save, gave out completely. The ship crashed into the ground, screaming as metal tore and glass shattered and important things lit on fire. The last thing Yellow Pearl thought before her head slammed violently into the wall was that she still didn’t know where Blue Pearl had learned to fly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which desperate times expose strengths, weaknesses, and old memories.

When Yellow Pearl woke up, it was dark.

Uncontrollable panic clouded her head. She shot up and staggered to her feet on instinct, grabbing for something to hold onto to keep her steady. There was nothing. She quickly collapsed again. 

Everything felt fuzzy. Her body burned. She had no idea how much time had passed or where she even was. She couldn't remember passing out or waking up. She could barely even remember her own name. Nothing made any sense. The world was blurry. 

There was cold metal beneath her. Black sky scattered with stars above her. Her throat felt dry. 

She was… in a ship. In a broken ship. Utter wreckage lay all around her, fuzzy and hard to see because of the screen of smoke in the air. Was she still on The Munly _ ?  _ Had she ever even been on The Munly in the first place, or was that all some kind of crazy dream? She hoped so. Diamonds she hoped so.

Blue Pearl. If she really was in the wreckage of The Munly, Blue Pearl had to be around here somewhere. Blue could help her. 

Yellow Pearl staggered to her feet again, only to collapse back onto her knees, where she crawled forwards a few inches. The air was thick with smoke that choked the very breath out of her body. Creaks of groaning machinery echoed all around her. Wetness dripped off her face, but whether it was sweat or blood or tears she couldn't tell. She just had to find Blue Pearl. She just had to keep moving.

“Blue?” Yellow Pearl managed to cough out. When she spoke she couldn't feel her lips move. Her ears rang so badly she could barely hear her own voice. “Blue!”

No response. 

Yellow Pearl crawled forwards a few more feet. Little fires burned all around her. The roof of the ship was gone, and outside the night sky could be seen. Debris was scattered all around. She cut her hands on little pieces of glass on the floor. 

She had to get out of this ship, where she couldn't breathe and her eyes burned and every part of her body screamed at her when she moved. Desperately, Yellow Pearl started brokenly searching for the old door with the porthole window, to pry it open, to escape. Pain wracked her body as she crawled through the wreckage, but she ignored it, panic and claustrophobia driving her on, occasionally calling for Blue whenever she could get a good breath of air. Grime stuck to her skin with sweat and she felt as though she might throw up.  _ Just find the door. _ All she had to do was find the door. 

Her groping fingers met the broken headrest of the captain’s chair. Diamond knows where the rest of the chair was. For the first time, Yellow Pearl felt trickle of worry for Blue Pearl. What if she hadn't made it through the wreck? A crash like that could easily leave a gem poofed, or worse, broken. But no.  _ No _ . Blue couldn't be hurt. Yellow wouldn't allow that thought. Blue was fine. She  _ had _ to be fine. She always seemed so in control, so unbothered by the world that was, literally, crashing and burning around her, that Yellow Pearl simply could not imagine that she could have been killed. Not like this.

Her hand brushed against a warm slab of metal on the floor right before she saw the empty doorway, and the fresh air and cool stillness beyond. The door itself had fallen inwards off its hinges leaving the doorframe gaping and the way to safety clear. Yellow Pearl began to crawl towards it, desperate for the relief that she knew the outside world would provide, when she saw a frail blue body trapped underneath the warped piece of metal. Blue Pearl’s head and torso were hidden beneath the broken door, a part of her arm and bent knee sticking out from under it. Had Yellow Pearl been able to move faster, she might have missed her. The window of the door was shattered and missing, and there was blood on the ground. Blue was utterly still. 

_At least she’s whole_, Yellow Pearl thought to herself, trying to regain some control over her scrambling thoughts. _Her physical form is still intact._ _Whole means she isn't shattered._ Of course, that was more or less a lie to make herself feel better. Blue’s physical form being intact only meant that all the pieces of her gem were still connected to her body. Her gem could be cracked or dented, which was only slightly better than broken completely. And, according to the Diamonds, anyone with a cracked or dented gem might as well be dead. 

Yellow Pearl managed to wedge her skinny fingers underneath the door, knuckles scraping against the floor and bruised body bent. A few units ago, she had been so happy that the door was thick enough to keep Jasper out. Now she silently cursed it for it’s heavy build. She strained to lift it, sweating profusely, tiny arms shaking as she pulled upwards. Nothing happened. For a distracting second, Yellow wondered if Blue Pearl would be able to lift the door, if their positions were switched. After all, Blue had  _ very _ strong arms. Yellow ignored the creeping feeling of uselessness that accompanied the thought. She would get Blue out. She pulled harder, and the door shifted slightly, but did not lift. Blue Pearl was still trapped. She could be dying at that very moment, could be about to poof any second, could already be gone. Yellow Pearl let out a scream and  _ yanked _ , breathing heavy, muscles burning, desperate to lift the door by any means necessary. One of her wrists was on fire, and her knees threatened to buckle. She could feel her heart pounding in her throat and it felt as if, no matter how heavily she breathed, she couldn't get enough air. But Blue Pearl was surely in worse shape, and here Yellow was, unable to save her. Helpless and useless, straining at a door she couldn't move. Tears flowed freely and cut paths through the grime on her face, but Yellow Pearl didn't let go of the door. She couldn't. 

The first time Yellow Pearl had seen Blue Pearl was a few thousand years ago, on one of Blue Diamond’s planets. Yellow Diamond had gone to visit her grieving sister, who had not done much except sob for the past few thousand years, and convince her to resume her role as an active ruler in the Diamond Empire.

“I know this will be as hard for you to hear as it is for me to say.” Yellow Diamond had said, one hand resting on Blue Diamond’s shoulder, standing in the massive entrance hall of the fortress where Blue Diamond was staying. “But I think that it is time we both try to, shall I say,  _ move on _ from Pink. Don’t you agree?” Catching sight of the betrayed look Blue Diamond shot her way, Yellow Diamond quickly backpedaled. “I think about her every second of the day. I feel her loss constantly, like a sword in my own gem-” Blue Diamond whimpered “and I know how much you miss her. We both do. However, Blue…” Here Yellow Diamond hesitated, wondering if this was really safe to say. “You mustn't let her loss render you incapable of running the empire. White has noticed that production on some of your planets has gone down significantly, and everybody is aware that you haven't left this fortress for the past four hundred years. Worse, they all know why.” Blue Diamond began to sob in earnest. “Blue, we cannot be seen as weak! You know what the job of a leader entails!” 

“You don’t miss her!” Blue Diamond wailed, her hood slipping off her forehead as massive tears dripped from her eyes- and everyone else’s. “How can you be concerned with leading the empire when our- sister- is- dead!” 

“I do miss her! But this-” Yellow Diamond gestured at Blue Diamond’s leaky eyes and hunched posture “-is not what she would want for you!”

“How would you know what she would have wanted! You only ever looked at her with scorn!”

“That’s not-!” Yellow Diamond stopped herself and took a deep breath. “Blue - I know you’re upset, but surely there is _something_ that will help. You can't go on like this!” Blue Diamond just sniffled more. An idea occurred to Yellow Diamond. “How about that new Pearl I got you? Has she cheered you up?”   
Yellow Pearl had been standing on a service balcony that ran around the room, level with the Diamond’s elbows. She had been a bit lost in her own world, only half listening to the conversation as her mind drifted, trying her best to ignore the massive tears dripping from her eyes. However, at the mention of a Pearl, she had immediately snapped to attention.

“I suppose so.” Blue Diamond muttered, her tears ebbing slightly. “I haven’t really noticed her…” 

“Well, let’s have a look at her!” Yellow Diamond tried to force some excitement into her voice. “Come on, Blue. Getting a new Pearl  _ always _ used to cheer you up.”

“Yes. Alright, fine. Come out, Pearl.” Blue Diamond sniffed halfheartedly. It was clear that she was making an effort to placate Yellow Diamond, even though it wasn't a very good one.

Yellow Pearl’s attention shifted to a figure who suddenly moved on the balcony across from her. Yellow Pearl hadn't even noticed the gem until then, probably because said gem had been standing absolutely still in the shadows of the hall. As soon as Blue Diamond called for her, however, the figure streaked across the balcony, down a set of stairs, and across the room below, finally skidding to a halt in front of her Diamond. She moved in the fastest sprint Yellow Pearl had ever seen. The new Pearl stood in front of the Diamonds with her hands clasped in front of her chest and her head bowed in submission. Every part of her was a gentle shade of blue, from the pale, silvery blue of her skin, to the deep dusky blue of her hair. Her bangs hung in front of her face, covering her eyes, and her Pearl gleamed above the neckline of her low- cut leotard. A skirt of mesh encircled her long, thin legs. Even Yellow Pearl had to admit it- this Pearl was gorgeous.

“See? I picked her out just for you.” Yellow Diamond’s voice sounded full of forced cheerfulness. “Look at how fast she is! I like the way you’ve dressed her, too. Very pretty. And she’s nice and obedient. What do you think?” 

Blue Diamond whispered “She’s very nice, Yellow. She’s very nice, a-and I do l-like her, but… oh Yellow, you can’t fix this just by getting me a n-new Pearl! P-Pink is the only one who c-can make me happy n-now, and she’s- she’s  _ gone-”  _ Blue Diamond had started sobbing again, and Yellow Pearl saw tears dripping from underneath the Blue Pearl’s bangs even as her own eyes welled up. “I  _ know _ you m-miss her too, but… I j-just… I just  _ can’t _ move on, please,  _ try _ to u-u-understand. You can’t… You can’t  _ force  _ this, Yellow, and I j-just miss her… so, so much…” Blue Diamond cried even harder and, without any warning, wrapped Yellow Diamond in a hug and buried her face in her shoulder. “Oh Y-Yellow, what are we going t-to  _ do _ …” 

Yellow Diamond went stiff at the sudden contact, but after a moment, she awkwardly relaxed and placed her arms around Blue Diamond’s back. She sighed, looking suddenly weary, and Yellow Pearl knew that she would never allow herself to look that way unless she was alone with her sister and their Pearls. Yellow Diamond always kept a brave face, but now, she just looked sad. “I don’t know, Blue. I don’t know.” 

Blue Diamond just kept crying. And Blue Pearl kept standing there, still as a statue, arms clasped and head bowed. Obedient and robotic. The perfect Pearl.

It’s not like Yellow Pearl knew Blue Pearl very well. In fact, Yellow Pearl didn't know what kindergarten Blue was from, or how old she was, or what cut she had. Yellow didn't even know what her eyes looked like. They had only started talking a few units ago, and yet, it felt like they were already some sort of team- probably because of the multiple near-death incidents they’d had together. Blue Pearl had saved Yellow’s life more than once, and Yellow supposed that was what had lead her to accidentally trusting Blue. Yellow was so careful to remain pessimistic about people, to avoid getting close to anyone, because realistically, other gems were liabilities in this job. Every person she opened up to increased the risk of being betrayed, losing her reputation, or having to watch them die in front of her. And that wasn't the worst of it. Other people could get her killed. So Yellow Pearl had always remained distant and duty-oriented, and as a result, she had survived while many of her fellow Gems had not. And yet, here she was, feeling like her heart was being torn apart because she couldn't lift this damned door. Feeling like she was going to suffocate if she couldn't save Blue. Blue could be shattered, could be broken already. She could be conscious under that door, in incredible pain but unable to move. What if Blue really did die? What if she was so badly dented, or crushed, or cracked, that it was like she was gone? Yellow would be alone. She would be alone, and Blue would not be with her, to help her and calm her on this strange new planet. Blue would simply be gone, and Yellow would live with the knowledge that Blue had died right in front of her and Yellow had not been able to save her. Life would go on, but Blue Pearl would not be in it, and that thought filled Yellow with so much loneliness and desperation that she simply couldn't accept it. 

With a scream that echoed from deep inside her, Yellow Pearl grabbed the edge of the door tightly, not caring that it tore her skin and cracked her fingernails, and  _ pulled.  _ Every inch of her shrieked in protest and her body threatened to collapse underneath her, but Yellow didn't care. She had to save Blue. She  _ had _ to, and she would do what it took. Whatever it took. 

Pain ate away at her, but she was the master of it- she still felt it, but she was above it, not willing to let it hinder her or slow her down. Yellow felt her muscles tear, and her fingers bleed, and parts of her snap that weren't supposed to snap, but she didn't care. She would move that door if it was the last thing she ever did. 

And it did move. Yellow Pearl’s scream of defiance still pounding through the air, one side of the door began to lift upwards. It no longer rested on Blue Pearl- it now hovered just a few short units over her still body, its weight now fully supported by the floor and Yellow Pearl. It was good progress, but it wasn't enough. Pouring every last bit of strength and adrenaline that she could muster into her arms, drawing on reserves she didn't even know she had, Yellow forced the door away from her, away from Blue Pearl. It’s tilted side scraped on the metal floor of the ship as it moved, and Yellow Pearl thought that that was the most beautiful noise she had ever heard. Yellow pushed, tears still pouring down her face, until the metal behemoth was no longer hovering over Blue’s prone form. The second Blue was no longer underneath the slab, Yellow released the door, letting her muscles slacken and jerking her fingers away so they wouldn’t be crushed. The offending item clattered to the ground with a loud clang that sounded exactly like how Yellow Pearl imagined success to sound. She had done it. 

The reality of that feat suddenly caught up with her body- she collapsed to her knees, every bit of her utterly destroyed. The ship was bathed in a haze of pain, and black fringed the edges of her vision.  _ No. _ She thought to herself. _ Not yet _ . It was so dangerous inside The Munly, the air too thick to breathe and the whole structure falling apart around them. Yellow was afraid that if she passed out now, she might never wake up again.  _ Get out. Just get outside, and then you can rest _ . Moving as though she was sleepwalking, Yellow Pearl turned around to look at Blue, lying on her side in a loose fetal position on the floor. She was bleeding, that much Yellow could see, but through the haze and the dim light she couldn't tell much else. They had to get out of here. 

Yellow staggered over to Blue on her knees, her movements jerky. Her arms and legs were not accustomed to how little resistance it took to move, causing Yellow to stumble over herself as she went. Reaching down and scooping up Blue Pearl from the floor, Yellow was surprised by how light Blue was. Or maybe that was just her. Everything felt unreal. Yellow used one arm to press Blue’s torso up against hers, Blue’s long limbs dangling limply and her head lolling to the side as Yellow crawled forwards, out of the gaping doorway. Stumbling out of the ship was like breathing fresh air for the first time- Yellow gulped down mouthfuls of it and basked in it’s chill, even as she stood and lurched as far away from the ship as possible. Blue was impossibly warm, pressed up against her, and her hair tickled Yellow’s face as Blue’s head bounced against her shoulder. Yellow was able to stumble far enough away from the ship that she could no longer feel the heat it radiated before she collapsed onto the hard rock beneath her. She lay on her back for a second, Blue Pearl next to her, and stared up at the sky, dotted with millions of stars and decorated with three pale moons. Unconsciousness was catching up to her, but there was one last thing she had to do.

With the last of her strength, Yellow rolled onto her elbows and bent herself over Blue. Yellow’s eyes trailed Blue’s matted hair, her blood splattered face, her strangely bent limbs and her torn skirt before settling on her luminous gem. Her whole, luminous gem, undented and uncracked, shining like one of the moons in the sky above. Yellow let out a croaky, delirious laugh and collapsed back onto the ground, one arm thrown over Blue, lungs aching and tears of relief and exhaustion falling. She knew she would not be able to fight the unconsciousness any longer. But that was okay. In fact, it was a wonderful relief.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yellow is introduced to a new crowd.

Yellow came back into consciousness slowly. First there was only gentle darkness, and Yellow drifted in it, grateful for the calm it provided. Next, she slowly became aware of the sound of her own breathing, steady and soothing. Then she realized that she could feel- she could feel the clothes on her body and the scratchy ground she lay on. Soon after that, the stream of thoughts started- events, places, and people trickling into her head as she gradually remembered them all. And before she could enjoy that blissful darkness and delightful ignorance properly, her eyes were opening and reality was flooding back. She was a traitor and an escapee, and she was now on a strange planet, injured, with no idea where she was and what she was doing. She groaned as she sat up, blinking rapidly against the light. Her body ached and flashes of pain arched through her frame at the movement, so she stilled herself and focused on adjusting her eyes to her surroundings.  
She was in a big room, roughly hewn out of grey rock and lit with a single, bright lantern that hung from the sloped ceiling. She lay on a pallet of scratchy soft stuff, pushed up against a surprisingly warm wall. A few metal crates littered the room and a gleaming silver hatch was attached to the ceiling. It was quiet, save for the sound of her own breathing, and it would have been peaceful except for the fact that Yellow Pearl had no idea where she was or how she had gotten there.  
Yellow glanced down at herself, and was surprised to find that someone had bound her wounds- both her hands were wrapped in clean white cloth and her leg was in a cast. Her left arm was in a sling and cradled against her body. She reached up with her right arm to touch her head, only to be met with another bandage. She sighed, but the breath hurt her ribs. She hoped they weren’t broken.  
Yellow slowly and carefully moved off the straw pallet, wincing at the pain. It seemed that she had broken or bruised every part of her, somehow. She crawled towards the crates, hoping that they might yield some clue as to where she was. What had happened? How was she here- or perhaps the better, yet slightly more ominus question was, who put her here? An examination of one of the crates revealed that it was firmly sealed. Yellow doubted she could open it at full strength, and injured as she was, she had no chance. A quick but painful inspection of the other boxes proved that they were all similarly locked. Yellow made her way over to the metal hach and examined it- it was far to high for her to reach, the stone it was set against looked unclimbable, and it appeared to be sealed. Clearly, she would not be exiting through it without help. She looked around the room for a possible escape, or at least something interesting, something to give her a clue about her location. But there was nothing- just rock walls, unmarked boxes, and unreachable haches. Body aching, Yellow Pearl limped back to her itchy pallet.  
Yellow spent the next several units lying there, trying to puzzle out where she was. Theory after theory drifted through her head, from The Diamonds have found us, to We’ve been kidnapped by locals, to This is all a horrible nightmare, to I've been shattered and this is the afterlife. She shifted restlessly, wishing she could pace without pain. It was torture, just waiting there. Unable to do anything. She stood and searched the room a few more times, even trying and failing to pry open the crates. She wondered about Blue Pearl- where she was, if she was safe. And the Diamonds- had they discovered their Pearls’ betrayal yet, or did they still believe that they had two faithful servants? It wasn't until Yellow Pearl settled on her back on the pallet that she remembered Yellow Diamond’s letter, still tucked away under her leotard. She pulled it out, marveling. Aside from being a bit crumpled, it was as pristine and white as ever. It was a miracle that the thing hadn't been ripped apart or lost yet. Alone, bored, and wondering whether she would ever get out of here, Yellow felt the nagging urge to open it.  
Her fingers were halfway towards the seal before she shook herself back into reality. Just because she had gone rogue and run away did not mean she was a traitor. Just because she had been dragged on this crazy trip did not mean she renounced the Diamond empire. It had been drilled into her brain to always be loyal, to always put the Diamonds above herself, and it was that training that had kept her alive. She couldn't start acting rash and rifling through the Diamonds’ private mail on a whim. Besides, that envelope was the last connection she had to Yellow Diamond- the last thing really keeping her anchored, reminding her of who and what she was. Do not forget your place, she scolded herself.  
Just as that thought floated through her head, a creaking noise sounded from the metal hatch on the ceiling, as if something was moving above it. Springing to attention, Yellow Pearl stuffed the letter back into her top a moment before a louder creak announced the hatch’s opening.  
“Hello?” A foreign voice called from outside the room. “Are you awake?”  
Silence. Yellow Pearl wasn't sure what would happen if she spoke.  
“Hello? Pearl! No?” The hach began to close.  
“Wait wait wait!” Yellow would rather get out of here now, and face whatever was waiting for her, than be left alone and clueless again. “I’m awake, I’m awake.”  
The hach squeaked open again, and the voice responded. “It’s about time. How are your injuries?”  
“Um… painful?”  
“Obviously. Don't toy with me, Pearl. Now, I’m coming down. Be aware- if you attack me, or try to escape, it will not go well for you.”  
“What makes you think you can take me? Then, slightly shriller; “If you try to attack me, I’ll be forced to defend myself!” Faced with the strangeness of this situation, Yellow was having a hard time pulling herself together and being authoritative. Despite what had happened with Topaz, whom she considered to be a special case, Yellow still turned to her standard approach of intimidation whenever she dealt with another gem. “I don’t know who you are, but you need to let me go. I mean, release me. Immediately.”  
The other gem let out a dramatic sigh as she threw down a rudimentary rope ladder- how incredibly barbaric. “You were literally dying when we found you, Pearl. You can't escape. Now I suggest you cooperate and everything will be easier for everybody.” A foot appeared on the first rung of the ladder, and a form began descending into the room. A skinny thing, with long, flowing locks and a rounded gem…  
It was a Pearl. Beautiful black hair cascaded over her graceful neck and her sloped shoulders, ending at her curved waist. Her skin was a charcoal black, decorated with curly gold tracings and markings. Her eyes were a pale, luminous white, the same color as her gem, which was centered in the middle of her forehead. Her lips were dark as midnight and gold earrings studded her ears. She wore soft black pants that hung around her hips and cut off mid-calf, coupled with with a tucked-in, tight black tank top. Leather boots adorned her feet and black and gold fingerless gloves graced her hands. She was gorgeous.  
Yellow Pearl couldn't help but stare. A Pearl? Why in the galaxy was a Pearl dealing with her, a possibly unknown and dangerous prisoner? And based on the authority in this Pearl’s voice, she belonged to someone high, high up the ladder. Did this mean that Yellow had indeed attracted the attention of someone in the high court? Was she about to be turned in to the Diamonds? Panic throbbed through her, but she had to admit- it was somewhat comforting to see another Pearl. Yellow didn't expect any real help from her, but still. At least Pearls were sympathetic towards each other. Yellow felt like she deserved some sympathy right now.  
“I brought you more bandages.” The words brought Yellow Pearl back to reality, and she forced herself to stop wallowing in self pity and re-focus on the present tense. The Dark Pearl stood in front of her, arms crossed and hip cocked to the side. “So here’s the deal. You tell me who you are, where you came from, and why you’re here. You can cooperate and I’ll put on these clean bandages and everything will go well. Or-” The Dark Pearl’s eyes flashed. “-we can do this the hard way. I think you know what that entails. So choose.” Those eyes were so strange. They had no irises, but were an ivory white, standing in sharp contrast to her dark skin. They never quite seemed to focus on anything. It was a little unsettling.  
“Don’t I get to know who you are? I don’t even know where I am.”  
“And it’s gonna stay that way until you talk. So come on. Out with it.”  
Yellow Pearl would've like to keep arguing, even say that she wanted the hard way just to spite the Dark Pearl. But every inch of her hurt. She couldn’t win in a fight against this confident gem- she couldn't win in a fight against a Peridot at the moment- and she didn't really want to try. She was tired. And maybe she’d like to have this ferocious Pearl on her side. In the end, she had no choice. “The easy way.” Her own voice sounded rough and raw, but she carried it with as much dignity as she could muster.  
“Good choice.” The Dark Pearl walked over and sat down on the pallet right next to Yellow, where she pulled a rudimentary white wrap out of a thick pocket on her cargo pants. “Hold out your arm.”  
Yellow Pearl released her bandaged arm from it’s sling and held it out in front of her. The Dark Pearl pawed at the air for a moment before her hand touched Yellow’s arm, which she felt thoroughly, tapping it at certain places with her graceful fingers. It was such strange behavior that Yellow had to ask. “Um, are you blind?”  
It came out sharper than she intended, and she winced. Yellow Pearl had only ever met one other blind gem, a Sapphire who’s second sight was all the stronger for her blindness. All other gems that ended up with blindness- or deafness, or other ‘defects’- were shattered immediately.  
The Dark Pearl kept staring into space and feeling Yellow Pearl’s arm with her fingers. “Yes. But you’re the one being interrogated here, not me. Now tell me, who the hell are you?” It wasn't very polite, but that wasn't anything new. Swallowing, Yellow Pearl wondered if it was too late to make up a story. But if they also questioned Blue Pearl, and their stories’ didn’t match… maybe the truth was best? The problem was, Yellow Pearl didn't know what her audience wanted to hear. But she would get in trouble for lying even if she said what they wanted her to say. So she would tell the truth. Omitting certain details, like the letter in her pocket, and the help from Topaz. She could talk about the mirage because it would be to another Pearl, right?  
Reluctantly, Yellow Pearl started talking- about Rose Quartz's escape, about the mirage, and Jasper and stealing the ship and crash landing here. It would have felt good to tell someone about this- to sort it all out by putting it into words- if she wasn't so worried that her confident would react by turning her in. By the time Yellow had finished, her throat was dry.  
Dark Pearl didn't say anything while Yellow talked. She just unwrapped the preexisting bandage on Yellow’s arm (That bit hurt quite a lot, but Yellow did her best to ignore it) and replaced it with a fresh one. Then she started on Yellow’s leg. By the time Yellow was finally done talking, she had already done Yellow’s hands and was working on her head. Nothing was said for a long, long time.  
Yellow Pearl usually liked silence. She didn't like this one.  
Finally, The Dark Pearl said “And what do you plan to do now. Would you run back to your Diamond, if you had the chance, if it was safe?” This was clearly a loaded question. A question to which the answer was yes. She would go back- better than being hunted and eventually shattered out here. But that may not be what the Dark Pearl wanted to hear. “I’m… not sure.”  
Dark Pearl finished Yellow leg and sat back on her haunches. “Not sure, huh? Why not?”  
“Well… I don’t want to be hunted and killed out here. But I wouldn't want to leave Blue.” Yellow realized that the words were true as she spoke them. She didn't want to leave Blue. “But in the end… there’s nothing for me out here.”  
“And there is something for you back there?” The Dark Pearl sounded surprisingly angry.  
“My job. My life. My security.” Yellow didn't know why she was defending her choice- maybe she just wanted to argue. Maybe she was tired of being yelled at.  
“Security? She beat you, Pearl. Isn't freedom better than slavery?”  
Slavery. That word was new.  
“It's safety. There, I’m protected.” Yellow Pearl retorted.  
“Protected from what? Someone should be protecting you from them.”  
“There’s worse out there.”  
“Worse that what? Being a disposable pawn for a heartless dictator?” The Dark Pearl was clearly not enamored with the Diamonds, Yellow noted. Unless… what if she was only saying these things to trick Yellow into agreeing and incriminating herself? “You’re a fool, Pearl. The Diamonds can’t protect you. They can't do anything for you.”  
“That’s not true.”  
“So you’re telling me that you were happy, back there? You liked your life?”  
Well…  
Yellow Pearl thought of the constant beatings and long hours, without a single moment to herself. She thought of the way all the other gems treated her. She thought of the never-ending struggle for survival, about having to worry whether or not she would make it through the week. She thought of life as a Pearl in the Diamond authority, and she realized that no, she hadn't liked her life. She had hated it. But it was what she had accepted and what she managed to live with. It was where her place was. She couldn't just renounce everything she’d ever known.  
“I hated my life. But it was mine. Now, I’ve told you everything I know, and I’m tired of this discussion. So who are you?”  
The other gem considered her for a moment. Her previous anger dissipating somewhat, she let Yellow change the subject and responded “Call me Coal. That’s my name.”  
That was the stupidest name Yellow had ever heard, and she said so. “What kind of name is Coal?  
“A perfectly fine one.”  
“It’s not even a proper color. Who in the galaxy do you belong to?”  
Of all the things Yellow had said, this question seemed to make Coal the angriest, and that’s saying something. “I belong to no one.” She spoke very clearly, enunciating each syllable, as if to infuse the words with her rage. “I am my own Pearl, thank you very much.” She stood, fury echoing in every movement of her graceful body. Swearing more colorfully than even Yellow Diamond, Coal grabbed Yellow Pearl’s arm (her uninjured one) and pulled Yellow to her feet. “And I’m tired of talking to you. We’re going to court. They’ll decide what to do with you.”  
Yellow was so scandalized upon hearing that Coal was “her own Pearl” that it took her a couple of seconds to register the second, more pressing thing she had said. “Wait, what? Court? Diamond court?” Not Diamond court, please not Diamond court, if this Pearl brought her to Diamond court…  
“Not Diamont court, you imbecile. You seem well enough to plead your case, so we’re going to the elders. Come on.” And Coal dragged Yellow over to the trapdoor, which was still hanging open, ladder extended. “Topes!” Coal shouted. “We’re gonna need the platform!”  
“You got it, Coal!” A new voice, deep and gravelly, echoed out from beyond the trapdoor. It was close enough that Yellow Pearl wondered if it’s owner had been listening in on her whole conversation with Coal. Probably.  
A flat metal slab, suspended by cables, slowly began to lower itself down through the hach. Based on the shakiness of its descent and the grunting noises heard outside, it was being lowered manually. There was a brief pause while the two Pearls waited. “Um.” Yellow said cautiously to Coal, who was glaring intently into space. “Hey, what did you mean when you said-”  
Yellow was interrupted by the loud clang of the lift hitting the floor. “Hop on, you two! The elders have been informed and are congregating now!” The voice from above echoed, and Coal dragged Yellow Pearl onto the slab without pause. Yellow wondered how she could navigate so well with her blindness, and suddenly found herself distantly sad that Coal seemed to hate her- Yellow could really use an ally right about now.  
As the platform rose and the outside area came into view, Yellow assessed her surroundings. Compared to the relative dimness of the room she had been kept in, this place was almost blindingly bright. She was at the end of a long hallway, with metal floors and a roughly hewn ceiling of rock. Scones, full of flame, lined the walls, and a few empty doorways sat at even intervals. She was clearly underground somewhere. Yellow was disappointed to see that her chances for escape here were next to nothing.  
Two Topazes manned the ropes, helping to haul both Pearls out of the little room. Upon reaching ground level, they quickly stepped off of it, and the Topazes breathed sighs of relief. “You two are heavier than you look.” One grumbled, but there was no real complaint in her voice.  
“Topes.” Coal said, addressing the offending Topaz and holding her arm out for a fist bump. She was suddenly grinning.  
“Coal.” the other responded, obliging. “Did this one give you any trouble?” She jerked her head at Yellow Pearl. It was strange to watch such an open interaction.  
“She whines quite a bit, and seems rather backwards, but no real trouble. She’s not a problem.”  
“I resent that.” Yellow piped up, needing to speak, needing to command attention.  
“Spirit! I like her!” The Topaz laughed, and Yellow was put at ease slightly. It was a good laugh, the kind that felt easy and natural and open. It was almost friendly.  
Yellow mentally shook herself out of it, reminding herself that she was still a captive. She had to keep her guard up.  
“I wonder if the elders will like her spirit, too. She’s got quite the story.” Coal easily addressed Topaz.  
“Guys.” The other Topaz spoke from Yellow’s right side. “Let’s get going. The elders should be ready.”  
“‘Course, Lean.” Topes said, and they started off at a brisk pace down the hallway. “So Pearl. What should we call you?”  
Coal cut Yellow off before she could answer. “Don’t get friendly with the prisoner.”  
“Aw, come on, Coal. Prisoner’s not a very nice word to use. How ‘bout patient?”  
“Patient that we’re holding against her will to ensure she can’t contact the outside world.”  
“Whatever she is, she still has a name.”  
Before Coal could provide a counter argument, Yellow spoke up. “You can call me Yellow Pearl. Or, actually, just Pearl. The Yellow is only for friendly identification.”  
“Wait… You don’t have a name?” Lean asked, looking sad. Yellow Pearl hated the pity on her face.  
“I have a name!” She snapped back defensively. “Pearl is my name. It’s a perfectly good one, too!”  
“Pearl isn't a name, it’s your Gem type. That’s very different.” This was Coal, and she didn't look at Yellow with any pity. Yellow felt a sudden surge of gratefulness for her tough attitude. “So. I guess you don’t have a name, then. We’ll call you Yellow for now.”  
“That is my name.”  
“False.”  
“It’s fine, Yellow.” Topes said comfortingly. “When this is all over, you’ll be able to choose what you want to be called. No pressure, though.”  
“Yellow is what I want to be called.” This statement went mostly ignored.  
“So Yellow, how are your injuries doing?” Lean broke in.  
Unsure if she was grateful for the subject change or not, Yellow responded “Not so bad. The medicine has helped.” She wasn't used to people asking about her wellbeing, but as she said it, she realized it was true. She was walking almost normally despite her bandaged leg, and she had barely noted any pain in the last few minutes. It was incredible, she thought, how quickly she could heal with this stuff.  
“That’s good. I’m glad it helped.” Topes said warmly, confusing Yellow further.  
“Why are you doing this?” She asked the group at large, all of whom gave her befuddled glances, except for Coal, who granted her an eye-roll.  
“What do you mean?” Lean asked, and Yellow couldn't believe that they didn't know what she was referring to.  
“I mean, why are you helping me? I don’t get it. You guys obviously aren't a part of the Diamond empire, and you saved me. You don't even know me. You waste valuable resources on me. I'm less than useless to you- I’m a liability, right?” It was a simple question. Yellow didn't know why the Topazes looked so shocked, so sad. So unsure.  
“We couldn't exactly leave you alone out there to die, could we?” Lean asked.  
“Yes, you could!” Yellow didn't understand. What these gems did for her- the way Blue Pearl acted- the way the Topaz back on Galojaya responded- all of it felt so foreign to her, so contrary to the world she lived in.  
“No, we couldn't! We’re better gems than that! I mean, we didn't even know who you were. I would have been cruel to not save you when we had the power to, right?” Topes’s voice was almost indignant.  
“So you did this… because of your moral compass?”  
“I guess you could say that…” Topes muttered, looking as if that answer was only partially correct.  
“She doesn't understand, guys.” Coal spoke up, a dark shadow next to Yellow. “You forget, she’s from Homeworld. In fact, she’s Yellow Diamond’s Pearl.”  
Both Topazes gasped, and Yellow somehow felt embarrassed and distant, like she was the butt of some secret joke. “What’s wrong with that?” She asked defensively. “I don’t think…”  
But her words petered off as they rounded the final corner and she caught sight of a room of massive proportions. She stood at a small entrance at the bottom of a giant dome. The walls were mostly polished rock, but the top of the dome was built of shining glass that allowed sunlight to pour into the chamber like water. The floor was made of burnished copper that practically glowed under the light. On the far side of the room, a series of thirteen seats rested on raised pedestals, the center one higher than the others, each chair encircled by a small booth. Filling the seats were thirteen gems, no two the same type. Yellow saw a Jasper, an Onyx, a Topaz, an Amethyst, an Opal, and even a Pearl. She even saw some she didn't recognize... could they be fusions? They had to be. In Homeworld, fusions without functioning purpose were wrong, and any fusion of two separate gem types was beyond that. But one of the fusions was laughing at something her friend said, and Pearl made the subconscious decision to not hate them- not yet. Encircling the giant chamber were four levels of copper balconies, filled with every kind of gem Yellow could think of off the top of her head. She couldn't help it. She gaped.  
“This is where we leave you.” Topes whispered. “Just walk out there and answer as truthfully as you can, and the council will judge you and deliver a verdict.”  
“If all goes well, you’ll be just fine.” Coal muttered next to her. “Don’t be an idiot.”  
“Good luck.” Said Lean, and then they were gone, and Yellow was all alone again. And she was afraid. She hated the fear, and she hated herself for feeling it. She wished the others would come back. Just as she was beginning to take their kindness for granted, they had left, and now she was brutally reminded of her uncertain situation.  
She closed her eyes. She was alone in this, as she usually was. It was fine. She could rely on herself- she always had. Time to face the world. Can’t go falling apart.  
For a second, Yellow considered running - trying to make it up to the surface. But it was four stories out of her reach, and this place was a maze swarming with gems, all of whom were expecting her to walk out onto that floor right now. So no. She would walk out there and plead her case. She would survive, because she was smart and willy and had survived a million other things far worse, though none quite as strange.  
But she was not quite alone. When she opened her eyes, there was Blue Pearl, her arm in a sling and her head and face a mess of bandages, limping out onto the floor. She looked battered and beaten and bruised, but her walk and denominator was as quietly confident as it had ever been. Her fluffy blue hair fell around her face the way it always had and her gem sparkled in the light, bright and untarnished and miraculously whole. And Yellow Pearl’s heart leapt and her stomach flipped and every part of her felt lighter. Comfort at seeing someone so familiar exploded inside her, mixing with relief that she was not alone, and relief that Blue Pearl was alive, walking around, looking around, breathing and living and being, that she wasn't still trapped under that door like Yellow Pearl half feared she might be. She felt as light as air, as flexible as water, and she couldn't stop herself from lurching forward and sprinting towards Blue as fast as she could with her bad leg. She shouted “Blue!” before she could even think about what she was doing, and Blue turned and saw her and a grin broke on her face, lighting up the whole room, filling it with her brightness. She began to move towards Yellow, awkwardly but quickly, and she was smiling, smiling, smiling, looking happier than Yellow had ever seen her, although admittedly they had never met under very happy circumstances, and a laugh bubbled out of Yellow, reverberating around the massive copper room, and she felt giddy and light and desperate and happy. They met somewhere in the middle of it all, and Yellow couldn't help but throw her arms around Blue, her mind not on consequences and shoulds and shouldn'ts but on Blue, who was warm and soft and real and wonderful and familiar. Who was smiling that secret smile of hers when she hugged Yellow back, and was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, and they were alive, alive, alive.  
And then there were gasps around the room, and Yellow Pearl felt something change, but she was not quite sure what it was. She felt calmer, more peaceful, more melancholy. She felt like a whole different gem- she felt whole, good, right. She wasn't Yellow Pearl anymore, or she was, but she was so much more. More balanced, more real, more vivid, more rounded. Like Blue was suddenly a part of her, like there had been a gaping hole in Yellow that she hadn't even known was there until it had been filled, and now things were different. She was different. A quiet calm mixed with willful determination, forming something new, something stronger, something… green.  
What was happening? She was unsure. She only knew that she was wonderful. She saw the world with new eyes- more eyes- and thought new thoughts. She moved, feeling longer limbs and different clothes. She walked, recognizing a different step, a taller figure, heavier hair. And she realized what she was.  
And then Yellow Pearl was on the floor again, panting and spitting and choking and reeling. Her heart was pounding in her ears and her breathing was ragged. Blue Pearl was right next to her, also on the ground, looking equally shocked and confused. Yellow checked her shaking hands- they were normal again, small and yellow, slim and long fingered. She turned to Blue, who was looking back at her with a previously unseen panic. Yellow opened her mouth to say something, made a choking noise, and then-  
“This council will now come to order.” The Gem at the highest stand spoke. An Amethyst, and one that commanded respect. The spectators settled into silence. “Pearls, please step up to the stand.” And, with nothing else they could do, Yellow and Blue stood up and approached the court.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yellow and Blue answer some tough questions.

Yellow Pearls’ head felt fuzzy. Her whole world was still reeling, a mess of panic and confusion and loathing and happiness, but she tried to shake it off and push it away as she stood in front of the panel. Later. She would open and unpack that box of emotions later. Right now, she had to focus on staying alive.

“Would the two Pearls please introduce themselves to the council?” One Quartz, two to the left of the Amethyst, asked. The focus on the room shifted to the Pearls in the center of it- judging, scrutinizing, wondering. That was fine. Yellow Pearl had been judged and scrutinized all her life.

She stepped forwards. “I am Yellow Pearl, Yellow Diamond’s Pearl, cut 167-C.” There were audible gasps from around the room, probably in response to the Yellow Diamond thing, although they could, like Topes and Lean, be shocked by her name. Yellow Pearl stepped back into place, head held high. 

Next to her, Blue Pearl stepped forward. “I am Blue Pearl, Blue Diamond's Pearl, cut 128-B.” Her voice was quieter than Yellow’s had been, but it did not waver. Again, there were gasps from the audience.

The Quartz spoke again “Do you both swear to tell the truth, that we can determine, for the sake of all free civilization, whether you deserve to benefit from our generosity and earn our trust?”

Yellow Pearl silently promised no such thing, but as she doubted the answer ‘No’ would get her very far, she responded “I do.” Blue Pearl echoed her.

“Do you swear to answer each question fully and directly, to the very best of your abilities?”

Yellow and Blue Pearl both responded with an “I do.”

“Very well.” Said the Amatherst in the center, surveying them carefully. “Are you aware of the rules of this council, newcomers?”

Blue Pearl didn't seem to be bursting to say anything, so Yellow took one for the team. “No, we know nothing.” She said, as assertively as she could without being disrespectful. Thrown off kilter, she was unsure of what tone to use, and how to avoid seeming weak without crossing a line that could get them killed.

“The rules are simple enough. Starting to your left and moving to your right, each one of my colleagues gets to ask you both three questions to discern your story, your loyalties, and your character. I will go last. In the end, there will be a vote, and if you have majority, you will go unpunished. You will be free to go, under the sole condition that you speak not of us to any outsider in the future. You will also have the option to seek refuge with us.”

“What if we have minority?” Yellow was unsure if she was allowed to speak, but she had to.

“If that happens, we shall decide a punishment based on your testimony. Are you ready to begin?”

Even on trial, Yellow Pearl was amazed by the amount of respect she was being shown. She doubted that a superior had ever asked her if she was ready in her life. Swallowing, she nodded. Next to her, Blue’s head bobbed as well.

“Let the interrogation begin.” There was a sort of heavy finalty to those words. Yellow Pearl felt rather sick.

The gem on the very left of the row, a Jadite, spoke. “Yellow Pearl. What were the circumstances that led you to crash on this planet multiple deca-units ago?”  
“Our ship, The Munly, was malfunctioning out in space, and we made and emergency landing on the nearest planet we could find.” Yellow Pearl’s throat was dry. “It crashed just before we touched down. We’d damaged it when we took off and when we jumped to lightspeed.”

“Blue Pearl.” The Jadite addressed Blue Pearl now. Yellow wished she wouldn't- Blue was painfully shy, and Yellow didn't want her to have to speak. Then Yellow realized she was feeling protective, and she shoved those feelings away. “What planet did your ship come from and why did you leave it?”

“Objection!” An Onyx from the other end of the row raised her hand. “That was two questions in one statement.”  
“Objection denied.” Decided the leading Amethyst. “The questions could be logicly paired with little alteration in amount and type of response and are therefore legal. Continue, Julie.” The Jadite shot a triumphant look at the Onyx, who glared back.

“Um.” Blue Pearls voice was soft, but the grand copper walls of the room helped amplify it so everyone could hear. “We escaped-” There was a murmur at the word “-from the city of Lumecia, on the planet Galojaya. We… well…” Yellow Pearl could tell that she was trying to describe what had happened without mentioning the mirage. “We were put in a position where we had been… caught… for something… and we were being chased. The only way to make it out was to commandeer a ship.”

“Why were you being pursued, Blue Pearl?” 

Blue Pearls’ mouth worked but no sound came out. “We… we…”

Yellow tried to save her. “We were just trying to-” 

“Yellow Pearl, the question was directed at Blue Pearl.” The head Amethyst cut in. “Blue Pearl, please respond.” Yellow glared daggers.

“Well…” Blue Pearl threw a pleading look at the single Pearl on the council- a red-tint with scarlet hair and an oval gem set into her left shoulder. “I’m not actually allowed to say…” 

Suddenly seeming to understand the situation, the Red Pearl cut in. “Objection, ma’am. I believe these Pearls are referring to the sensitive subject I discussed with you earlier.”  
The Amethyst narrowed her eyes at Blue Pearl. “Might you name what you are unable to speak of without describing the details, Blue Pearl?”

“Yes, ma’am. Um, it’s called the, um, Mirage.”

“Were you caught?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Is it still in place?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“The Amethyst nodded, pleased. “I am satisfied with these answers. No further questioning will be done about why these Pearls were being pursued. On to you, Maj.” The next gem in line, a Ruby, nodded in acknowledgement and began asking her three questions. 

It continued like that for the following few units. Yellow answered each question as best she could. Some responses were long, while some were only one word. Questions asking her to describe a regular day in her life, the kind of treatment she received, and the chase with Jasper were all asked. Yellow Pearl only had trouble with one.

“How do you feel currently about your master and the rest of the Diamond empire?”

Yellow could feel Blue watching her, curious about her answer. She thought of Coal, who had recently asked her a similar question. She decided that “Conflicted” was a safe enough answer.

Finally, only one gem remained to question them. At this point, Yellow Pearl was exhausted. This whole ordeal had been tiring and stressful and long, so long that many gems on the balconies above were sitting down when they had all started standing up. But the good news was that the court seemed to be in their favor- They were getting plenty of nods of approval and seemed to be giving satisfactory answers.  _ Almost through _ , Yellow thought.  _ We’re almost through.  _

The head Amethyst considered them for a few moments before asking her first question. She boomed. “Have the two of you ever fused before today?”

Yellow Pearl went red. A quick glance at Blue Pearl showed that her cheeks had turned a similar ruby color. Yellow didn't want to think about the fusion, especially not here, in the middle of a potentially dangerous situation. She didn't want to consider what it meant that, she, a Pearl of the Diamond empire, had  _ illegally _ fused with another gem. She didn't want to worry that whatever kind sentiments she and Blue held for each other may be ruined forever. And she really, really didn't want to wonder what it meant that she had been able to fuse with Blue in the first place, because she tried her absolute hardest to avoid feelings in any form.

“Um.” Yellow Pearl muttered. “I didn't- we were just- one time... no. I mean, I mean, never before today.” Yellow desperately tried to make her words coherent. 

“Hmmm. And, Yellow Pearl, do you still have the letter Yellow Diamond gave to you before you were forced to flee?”  
Yellow Pearl felt her stomach drop. She immediately regretted mentioning the letter previously, but it had seemed a harmless truth at the time. Now, however, she an urge to lie. She was unsure why, but she didn't want any of these people to know about the letter stuffed behind her back. It had made it all this way with her, and felt somewhat like her last link to a world that she used to be a part of. A strange sort of lifeline, reminding her of who she was, and more importantly, _why_ she was. Reminding her of what was once normalcy, but may never be again. 

On the other hand, lying could get her into big, big trouble. It could put her life in danger. The answer should have been simple, but it wasn't. She hesitated.

Blue Pearl must have sensed her indecision, because she muttered “ _ Yellow _ ” warningly, her voice too quiet to be heard by anyone else. She would be in trouble too, if Yellow lied. She made up her mind.

“I do still have it.” Yellow confirmed, suddenly hyper aware of the edges of it pressing against her skin under her leotard. She decided to say no more on the subject. 

A few significant looks passed between council members at her answer, but their meanings were indecipherable. One gem let out a curious “Hmmmmm.”

“Your final question, Pearls.” The Amethyst declared. “Were you granted majority vote, what would you do with your freedom? You must answer each answer individually.”

“Objection?” Asked the first Jadeite to the left. “Can you do that?”

“As the Primary, yes, I can do whatever I want.”

There were a few snickers. The Jadite blushed, but smiled.

If they were to be released. If they were to be released, what might Yellow do?

Her first thought was to try to head back to Galajaya and resume her position. But Yellow Diamond would almost certainly be aware of her leaving, if not of her medicine theft and ship hijacking and massive destruction of property. There was probably an arrest warrant out for her already. Going back was suicide. Still, Yellow wondered if she couldn't find a way, if she looked for one. If Jasper somehow hadn't blabbed yet, then maybe she had a chance. As long as she hadn’t been identified on the Munly, she could lie and say she had been kidnapped. There may still be hope…

But was it worth the risk? It was likely that she may not survive a thing like that. Instead, she could get to a different part of the galaxy. Be sold as a common Pearl to some random gem out there. Yes, that was an option. A way to remain in the empire and within the law without risking her life- but then again, depending on who her master ended up being, she may still be putting her life in danger.

The Amethyst had told her that she could stay here, but that was insane. Yellow Pearl, no matter her current problems with the Diamond empire, would not turn traitor, or whatever the heck these guys were. Too risky. Too rebellious. 

To Yellow’s surprise, Blue Pearl spoke before Yellow was prepared to do so.

“I would run.” Blue Pearl said, her voice steady and sure. “I would run to the farthest reaches of the galaxy where The Diamonds couldn't find me and I would look there for a place that is safe from them.” Yellow Pearl stared at her. What a thought! What an idea! What a strong sentiment coming from Blue Pearl, who was not known for strong sentiments. A few gems on the council looked approving.

“And you, Yellow Pearl.” The Amethyst prompted. “What would you do?”

“I… don’t know.” Yellow said, because she didn't. She had no idea. She needed longer to figure it out, longer to think. She needed to consider why she got a pang at the thought of leaving Blue Pearl, why she wanted to go back to the Diamonds so badly, but why she was also so afraid of it. “I don’t know.” She repeated. “I need more time. To think.”

The Amethyst nodded. “Now, I need you both to give me your solemn oath under the law that, should you be allowed to leave this place, you will not speak of us or otherwise make known in any way our location, our culture, our members, our mission, or other information concerning us to any gem outside of our ranks. If you do, the punishment will be death.” 

Yellow’s throat felt dry again. “I swear.” She murmured. Blue echoed her. 

“Very well. Unless there are any last minute questions or concerns, I believe it is time to vote.”

The Onyx who had interrupted earlier spoke up, directing her words at the Amethyst. “I have a question, ma’am. Should these Pearls be released, is there a way that we can... _ ensure _ … that they would, well,  _ share _ Yellow Diamond’s letter with us?” 

Yellow’s skin prickled with apprehension. She knew she shouldn't have talked about that letter. She had no intention to share it with these people, these traitors to the empire- because that would mean betrayal on her part, too. In this situation, however, she didn't have a lot of choices. If the council made the letter a condition of their release...

The Amarthest responded rather harshly. “We do not demand payment from our prisoners, and should they be released, it will be an unconditional freedom.”  
“But you know how valuable that letter could be-”

“This is an upstanding council, Ollio. We do not accept bribes or make bargains.”

The Onyx mumbled something rude under his breath. Yellow Pearl let out a breath of relief. 

“ _ Now _ are we ready to vote?” The Amethyst looked rather annoyed. The rest of the council had no further objections, or maybe just none that they wanted to mention. Yellow noticed that many didn't look happy with the Amethyst’s decision about her letter - several were scowling at the purple haired gem unhappily. She pretended to not notice. “Very well. All in favor of immediately securing Yellow Pearl and Blue Pearls’ freedom and allowing them to use it however they see fit, of declaring them to be neutral in the eyes of the law and henceforth treated as any friendly gem by this council?”

Yellow Pearl’s heart was in her throat. She didn't know what they would do if they had a minority. 

Hands went up. The Red Pearl’s hand shot up first, then the Jadite’s, then others. One… two... six... seven! Majority! The Amethyst did a formal count, including her own hand in the tally, and, grinning, declared the Pearls free by a vote of ten to three. 

Yellow Pearl felt her whole body slump, releasing all the pent up tension that had been turning her muscles into knots. A smile began to grow on her face. Free, free, free. They were free. For a shining moment, the world was glorious and wonderful and full of this victory, freedom. And then Yellow remembered that they were not free. She was still a fugitive, and even worse, an indecisive fugitive with no idea of what to do now. Her heart sank slightly.

“This session has ended.” The Amethyst declared. “Should either of you have further wishes, or require our assistance in any matter, come find me. We shall see what can be done.”

And with that, the chattering crowd began to empty from the balconies above, still conversing happily. Some of them congregated on the dome’s floor to mingle and talk to the council members. The council members, for their part, stood up and stretched, climbing down from their pedestals. A warm lull of conversation filled the room. 

Yellow had no idea what to do now. She felt frozen, questioning everything she had ever known, knowing that there were no good choices that she could make. She couldn't stay as she was. She couldn't change. She couldn't go back. She couldn't go forwards. She was lost. She was adrift. She was changing, and she no longer knew who she was or what she wanted or what was even possible. 

“You did it!” And Topes was suddenly there, wringing her good hand and beaming. Lean, too, appeared, grinning and dragging an almost-not-glowering Coal in her wake. “I mean, I knew you would be fine! You’re not guilty of anything, after all, but I was still worried. That was awesome, though.”

“Um, thanks.” Yellow said, somewhat awkwardly, surprised that the Topaz was so pleased with her success. Over Topes’s shoulder, she saw the Red Pearl from the council walk over to Blue Pearl and strike up a conversation. 

“Is it really true that you still have the letter?” Lean asked, awed. 

“Of course it’s true.” Coal interrupted. “You can’t lie to the council.”

“I know, I know. It’s just great, is all.”

“Why’s it so great?” The corners of the envelope poked into her back. Yellow hoped a change of topic would surface soon.  
“Well, that letter could contain incredibly valuable information! Yellow Diamond’s personal correspondence to White- imagine!” Topes’ eyes were sparkling. “Once we read it, we could help so many people!”  
“Woah, wait wait wait. What makes you think I’m giving it to you?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Yellow knew she had said the wrong thing.

“What? Wait, you are, aren't you?” Topes voice was taken aback, as if the mere idea of not sharing the letter was offensive. “Why wouldn't you?” 

Coal coughed into her fist  _ “Told you so.” _

Yellow didn't like how scandalized and hurt Topes and Lean looked. She desperately grasped for a change of subject and latched on to the first thing that came to mind. “Coal, how come you’re blind?” She blurted. 

Again, it was the wrong thing to say. Everyone in the small group stiffened. Some sort of door closed in Coal’s face as she lost any semblance of kindness and went straight into attack mode. A snarl appeared on her lips. “That’s none of your business,  _ Yellow _ .” Coal’s voice was barbed. She glanced around at her friends, face cold, eyes narrowed. Yellow was expecting Coal to absolutely destroy her with some clever taunt, but she just grumbled “I’m going to go give my regards to the council.” And, to Yellow’s surprise, Coal stormed off into the crowd. 

“Coal!” Lean shouted after her. When Coal did not turn, Lean gave an apologetic smile to Yellow and Topes and gave chase.

Topes let out a low whistle. “I forgot to tell you not to ask about Coal’s history. She doesn't like to talk about it.”

“Why?” Yellow was curious as ever. 

“Well…” Topes drew out the word. “If I tell you, you can’t talk to her about it, ok?” 

Yellow nodded.

Topaz glanced around a time or two, to ensure that no one was listening. Her voice went low. “Couple hundred years ago, Coal ended up with a bad owner. A  _ real _ bad owner. Beat her half to death every night. It got so bad that she tried to run away. She succeeded, too, and found work with someone else for a few years. Stayed out of people’s way, kept her head down, and it looked like it was going to work out. Coal was smart. She wanted to get away, but didn’t want to leave the Empire, just like you.”

Topes shook her head sadly. Yellow Pearl’s stomach bunched up.

“Well, the old owner, a Tanzanite, found Coal eventually. The Tanzanite already had a new Pearl at that point, but when she found Coal, she flew into a rage. She was furious that Coal had gotten away from her. The Tanzanite told Coal that if  _ she  _ couldn't have her, no one could. And then she blinded her.”

“Diamonds.” 

“Yeah, and that’s not all. When we found her, she was semi-conscious and beaten beyond belief on a cart headed for a shattering center. Lucky thing we hijacked it, or she would be dead.” Topes hesitated. “And I think there are things she hasn't even told  _ us _ . Like, we still haven’t found out  _ exactly _ how she ended up on that cart. I mean, there are parts of the story she still clams up about. Can’t talk about it. Too many painful memories.”

“That’s… terrible.” Yellow suddenly felt like her position with Yellow Diamond was almost enviable. It was true that some other Pearls suffered much worse. Yellow shuddered. “I guess that’s why Coal hates the Empire so much.”  
“And why she doesn't like to talk about her past. Please, Yellow, leave it alone. Don't ask her about this again, and don’t tell her what I told you.”

“I won’t.” Yellow felt like she had been mistakenly trusted with a very fragile and important secret, but she nonetheless swore to keep it, if only because Pearls looked out for each other. 

“Good. Topes paused, thinking, then said slowly, “You know, Yellow, if we hadn't intercepted a signal that described shipping routes to shattering centers, we couldn't have rescued Coal.” She raised her eyebrows meaningfully at Yellow. 

And so, full circle, they had come back to the subject of the letter. The letter that Yellow Pearl was_ not_ going to give away. “I really don’t want to talk about it, Topes.”  
“I know, I know. Just... think about it. Please?”

Topes sure said a lot of pleases. 

Before Topes could guilt Yellow into any foolish promises, however, Coal returned, dragging Lean behind her.

“You guys will  _ never _ believe this.” Coal declared triumphantly. She acted like her previous conversation with them hadn't happened, which was fine with Yellow. “Guess what we found out.”

“The color black is no longer all the rage?” Topes guessed while Coal glared.

“_No. _Black will never go out of style.”  
“What, then?”  
Coal swelled self-importantly. “_Well, _I was just talking to that Jadite on the council, Julie, and she said she looked it up and couldn't find any arrest warrants for you!”

“What! What do you mean?” Yellow didn't dare hope.

“Nothing!” Coal crowed proudly. “She looked at all the Wanted databases and couldn't find even a hint of you anywhere. And Julie is  _ never _ wrong. She’s the best hacker we’ve got!” 

“How is that  _ possible _ ?” Topes’ grin was infectious.

“I don’t know, but it’s true!” Lean said from behind Coal. “Well, you  _ are _ listed as  _ Missing and for Reward _ on the Pearl database, but there’s nothing that identifies you-  _ either _ of you- as felons!”

That would mean that Jasper, for some reason, hadn't ratted them out. The Diamonds knew they were missing- how could they not, at this point- but somehow, the Pearls were not yet in trouble with the law for stealing a ship and running off. The only way that was possible was if they hadn’t been recognized in the Munly, and if Jasper hadn't told anyone about their flight. But why wouldn't Jasper tell anyone? She had everything to gain from it. She would be rewarded for discovering their treachery and would get the revenge that she so clearly wanted. It simply made no sense. 

Still, it was good news. Yellow and Blue would always have to be careful around other gems, but they could now be  _ less _ careful. And whoever else might be after them for running off and disappearing, at least enforcement officials would leave them alone. Unless the officials wanted the bounty on the Pearls’ heads. Yellow sighed. Well, it was something.

“This is wonderful!” Topes clapped Yellow on the back. “They don’t know you’ve broken any laws yet!” Yellow privately thought that talking to the Topaz was like talking to a warm and sunny ball of pure positivity. Mostly it was nice. Occasionally it was grating. “We should go tell your blue friend over there.” Topes gestured towards Blue Pearl, who was still engaged in conversation with the Red Pearl. “What’s her name?”

“Blue Pearl.”

Topes sighed. “Nevermind.”  
“I saw you fuse with her.” Lean said happily. “You two were _very_ green.”

“Um. That was an accident.” Yellows’ face felt hot and she suddenly really, really,  _ really _ didn't want to go talk to Blue Pearl. 

“Aw.” Coal mocked. “That’s adorable.” Yellow felt all her sympathy for Coal disappear and tried to resist the urge to slap her. 

Lean nudged Coal “Coal, I told you- what was that?”

Both Lean and Topes had gone very still, listening. 

“I didn't hear anything.” Yellow Pearl butted in.

“Shhh!” Coal said angrily. She seemed suddenly on edge. “Topazes have very good hearing, so  _ shut up _ !”

Yellow remained quiet. A second later she, too, heard the sound. A sort of rumbling noise, ever so faint, more of an idea of a noise than an actual one. But then it came again, louder, and this time the ground underneath their feet vibrated slightly. Other gems in the chamber began to freeze and listen as well, ears straining for the mysterious sound. The surrounding chatter hushed as the noise came again. Again. Again. Louder, louder, louder, and stronger, stronger, stronger, until the vibrations were so violent they nearly knocked Yellow to the ground. It was then that she knew they were in trouble. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which bad things happen to good gems.

Lean turned to them, wide-eyed. “We have to get- ”

And then a massive machine burst through the rocky wall.

It was a huge drill, the kind that Homeworld used for burrowing passages deep into the ground. Diamond insignias gleamed on its polished surface, which shone a dulish grey in the coppery light. Two levels of intricate balconies and all of the council’s chairs had been completely crushed upon its entrance, and the wreckage scattered itself across the room with a terrible crunching noise. The drill’s long, pointed tip had been rotating, but now slowed to a stop as the entire machine clunked to a grinding halt on the floor.

There was a frozen second in time as everyone’s brains struggled to process. Yellow felt frozen in her tracks. This couldn't be happening. No, no, no. She was found. She was caught. She had just been discovered in a secret base, surrounded by rebels, and now she was sure to be shattered. Yellow wanted to close her eyes and make the whole situation disappear. She wondered if she could will the drill away by sheer force of denial. 

And then the suspended shock in the room exploded into panic. The rebels flew into action, screaming and pushing each other to get away. The single door that led out of the room was blocked by a press of people in less than a second, all of them yelling and shoving and fighting, completely overtaken by their survival instinct. The amplifying nature of the dome only made the screams and shouts of the fleeing seem louder and more terrible, until the deafening noise felt like a tidal wave of pure fear, slamming into Yellow and swallowing her whole. As doors on the drill’s side hissed open, pouring out waves of robonoids and armed Amathests, Yellow Pearl also began scrambling for the exit, desperation kicking in. Her thoughts felt sluggish in her head as her entire being, every muscle in her tiny body and every notion in her head, was consumed by a single thought;  _ Get away.  _ Yellow’s small stature provided her an advantage as she joined the thick of terrified rebels- she easily slipped through gaps in the crowd, ducked under flailing limbs, and leapt over fallen gems, using her pointy elbows as weapons when necessary. Her wounds and bandages slowed her, but not too badly- her injuries were mostly healed with homeworld medicine, anyways. She dared not glance back, but she could still hear the robanoid’s lazers, the zap of electric forks, and the screams of the rebels. She already knew exactly what was happening in the places she didn't want to look. 

Without warning, a thick reddish elbow struck Yellow’s face, knocking her backwards onto the floor before she even knew what was happening. A foot came out of nowhere and kicked her side, people ran into her and over her in their rush for the door, and she was being trampled, jostled, crushed, and suddenly she couldn't get up or think or even  _ breathe.  _ Still panicking, Yellow clawed at the ankles of passerby, struggling to stand, desperate for a bit of air, until someone caught hold of her arm and dragged her to her feet- Coal, who was also fighting her way towards the door with her teeth grit and a snarl on her face. Yellow grasped her hand and held onto it like a lifeline as Coal barreled through the crowd, lowering her head and charging forward like a battering ram instead of maneuvering her way in and out-  _ because she can’t see _ , Yellow remembered. Screams continued to echo behind them, but Yellow kept them at her back, trying not to think about how close they sounded, but to just focus on  _ moving… _

“THAT'S YOU, RIGHT, YELLOW? Coal hollered over her shoulder. “HOW DID THEY FIND US? WHERE ARE THE TOPAZES?” She demanded, but Yellow had no answer. The crowd was a crush of color, and Yellow felt helpless in its grasp, pushed and pulled and stretched like taffy, sure that had it not been for Coal, she would already be dead. Her veiw swung wildly as they ducked and weaved, Yellow trying not to look at anything but the exit, that inviting doorway that meant freedom from the chaos; but something in her peripheral vision caught her eye and she froze, resisting Coal’s pull on her arm. 

“MOVE, YELLOW!”  
“BLUE IS STILL BACK THERE!” 

Yellow wildly gestured to a place just a little ways back, where Blue had been knocked to the floor and knelt in a crouched position, arms covering her head, being effectively trampled. 

“TOO DANGEROUS, MOVE!” 

But Yellow couldn't. Blue was so close. If Yellow just had an extra five seconds, she could get there, grab Blue, and get both of them back safely. Yellow knew that this wasn't the smartest play- knew that she was being beyond stupid, that she was risking everything for no logical reason. But she had no time to think, consider, or hesitate even in the slightest. She had no time to change her mind once it had been made up.

Aware that every unit counted, Yellow tore her arm out of Coal’s grasp and dashed towards Blue, ducking swerving and pushing and shoving. Amidst a brutal outpouring of profanity, Coal shouted after her that she was going to get herself killed, but the warning went unheeded- Yellow didin’t pause or even turn, too busy fighting the crowd to worry about Coal. 

Yellow reached Blue in record time. Now focused single-mindedly on getting the two of them out, Yellow grabbed one of Blue’s arms and hauled her to her feet, in a similar fashion to how Coal had saved her. Blue Pearl allowed herself to be lifted, and, once she was standing again, seemed to regain both her senses and her determination. No longer underfoot, she fought tooth and nail, side by side with Yellow to make it out the door, out the door, out the door… 

And then they were out, into the wide passageway beyond, where, freed from the brutal bottleneck, the crowd dispersed slightly. Still clutching each other's arms, Yellow and Blue took off at a sprint, following the general direction of the fleeing rebels, who most certainly knew the way out better than the two of them. The Pearls tore the wrappings off of their mostly healed injuries as they ran, aware that the bandages could only slow them down. The duo was fast, and, no longer strangled by the crush of people, made it down hallway after hallway, up staircase after staircase, lungs heaving and legs burning. Yellow Pearl felt a strange sense of deja vu and wondered grimly how many more times she and Blue would have to do this whole running routine together before this nightmare was over. 

They must be nearly aboveground now, though. They had made it a long way through the dark, twisty halls, and the air was starting to smell sweeter. For a moment, Yellow felt a tiny pinprick of hope. They had almost made it out. 

But then she realized that the air didn't smell good sweet- it smelled bad sweet, the kind of sweet that could choke the breath from your lungs and the life from your body, if you breathed too much of it. And now that Yellow realized this, she realized that she could also hear the telltale hissing noise that accompanied the smell, low and lethal and previously unnoticed in the rush for survival. 

They were being gassed. 

Blue Pearl’s train of thought was clearly just a second ahead of Yellow’s, because just as that little fact occurred to her, Blue dove into the dirt, pulling Yellow down as well. Reaching for her skirt, Blue ripped off two pieces of limp blue mesh and handed one to Yellow, pressing the other over her mouth. Yellow copied her, but she doubted that mesh would truly provide any defense against the poison in the air. Around them, other gems were also diving to the ground, or attempting to outrun the gas and blacking out mid-step. Yellow and Blue tried to crawl forwards, staying as flat to the ground as they could, but Yellow knew that they would never make it out like this. It was too far, and they were too slow. The gas was now a visible whitish haze in the air, and it was clearly fast-acting- Yellow saw a Topaz lose consciousness right next to her, and she desperately hoped it wasn't Lean or Topes. But so what if it had been? They were all dead anyways. 

With that thought, Yellow’s panic-fueled willpower began to weaken, and she felt her eyelids starting to get heavy. Her brain felt sluggish. The piece of mesh Blue Pearl had given her fluttered lazily to the floor as Yellow lost feeling in her arms. Blue Pearl was shaking her and screaming, but the words were only half received, and soon Blue’s arms, too, dropped. Yellow knew she shouldn't, but it would be so nice to close her eyes. Just for a moment. She was so tired. She had been running for so long. And the world hurt so much. Maybe she wouldn't have to look at it if she closed her eyes…

When she finally gave way to darkness, the gas swirled inside her head, making her mind twist and contort and dream. In her dream, Yellow Pearl was with Yellow Diamond. Yellow Diamond told her to heat up the hot tub because she wanted to swim. Yellow went to fill the tub, but it was already full. Blue Pearl appeared in it, swimming and splashing around, and she invited Yellow in, but Yellow told her that she wasn't allowed to be swimming in the tub. So Blue reached up and pulled Yellow in, but as soon as Yellow’s skin touched the water, the tub became a whirlpool, frothing and swirling and sucking them both to their doom, while, in the background, Coal laughed and laughed… 

Amd then Yellow  _ was _ Coal, and she was running, running, running away, but she didn't know from what… 

And then Yellow was back in the domed courtroom, but she had gotten a piece of her unusually long hair tangled in the balcony. Topes, chuckling, tried to help her untie herself, but then Topes only got herself tangled, and the hair sucked her in and devoured her…

Yellow woke suddenly. She didn't know where she was. Her whole body felt heavy, and something warm and soft rested on top of her head. Realizing what had happened, and that she was, in fact, not dead, she took a moment to shake off the strange and new sensation of waking up from a dream. Reminding herself that she must have been hallucinating, and that hair cannot eat people, Yellow forced her eyes open to look at her surroundings. She was sprawled out on a cold surface in some sort of shaking room- no, a rickety transport ship. Yellow could hear the hum of the engine. Two long metal benches lined the longer walls of the rectangular space, above which open grates allowed a few beams of weak sunlight to trickle inside. On the benches sat more Pearls- Yellow recognized only the Red Pearl from the council, but saw probably about a dozen Pearls in total, in all sorts of colors. Sitting up a little and glancing around, Yellow felt the warm weight on her head withdraw, and realized that a hand had been resting comfortingly on her hair. Yellow glanced right, where Blue sat on the bench next to her, hands now in her lap.

“What’s going on?” Yellow whispered in her ear. 

Blue shrugged. It was very hard to make her out in the dimness. “I don’t know.” She whispered back. “Roe thinks they’re taking us to a conditioning camp.” 

“Wait, aren't we captured? Shouldn't we be going back to the Diamonds?”

“I don’t think they know who we are. They think we’re just rebels.”

“Then shouldn't they be taking us to a shattering center?”

“That’s where _ I _ think we’re going.”

Yellow really didn't want to hear that, and she could think of nothing to say in response to it. So she sat in silence, Blue’s words echoing in her head, wondering how exactly she had gotten into this situation and how she could get out of it. But the more she thought, the less hope for survival she really had. She was almost certainly being carted off to her death, and she couldn't think of a single way to escape it. They were all going straight to the slaughter house- herself, Blue, and every other Pearl in this transport. In all likelihood, Yellow was going to be killed in the next few units, and there was nothing she, or anyone, could do about it. As that thought hit her, Yellow realized just how much she didn't want to die. A few tears slipped out of her eyes unbidden. She had seen a lot. She had lived a lot. But she wanted to see and live more. She wasn't  _ done. _ She felt empty, hollow, helpless, fragile. Like she was liable to be shattered by the next bump of the cart or be blown away by the next gust of wind. 

Yellow had always been good at survival. She had played the survival game well for years and years. But now she had lost, as everyone did, eventually, and the reality of that was trapped in the cold metal car with her, though she wanted to be away from it more than anything else in the universe. She wondered what came after shattering. Would she cease to exist, just like that? Would there be something greater, something better, waiting for her? Would she be reborn as another Pearl, or a whole other gem completely? It was generally thought that once a gem died she simply disappeared, but now that Yellow was staring death in the face, she hoped that there would be something more. She needed there to be.

Blue Pearl took her hand.

The ride felt far longer than it actually was, but as they neared their destination, it still felt far too short.  _ No amount of time would feel like enough _ , Yellow thought,  _ when I’m counting the seconds I get to be alive _ . 

The Red Pearl that had been on the council stood. She sat opposite of Yellow and Blue, and had a short bob of red hair, crimson lips, and big brown eyes that seemed to glow almost as much as the gem set into her left shoulder. She wore a knee-length short-sleeved red dress that flowed over burgundy skin, and a fire lept in her eyes as she addressed them.

“My fellow Pearls.” She said, her voice low but still clear as a bell. “If you do not already know, by name is Roe. I am on the council and am the chief strategist of our Rebellion.” There was pride in her tone, and the way she spoke- firm, powerful- marked her as a leader.  
“We near our destination as I speak. I wish I could say otherwise, but I am unsure about what that destination will be. I think it likely that we are headed to a conditioning camp, but I’m afraid that this would only be the best possible scenario.” The Pearls in the cart glanced at each other in fear. Someone whimpered. “I tell you this, not to scare you, but to prepare you for what lies ahead and to brace you for whatever may await us.”

“I know that you did not plan on this happening. I know that many of you are not fighters but simply refugees, or perhaps passerby, or Pearls who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. And to you, I would like to apologise. Nobody deserves this, but you did not ask for it and you were not prepared. Even those who are warriors of our rebelion are not prepared for what comes next. Even I am not prepared, though I have always tried to be. 

“But that’s okay. It’s okay, because whatever comes next, we  _ are _ fighters. All of us. What will happen will happen, and we will face it as Pearls- strong and fearless and brave. Throughout history, we have been robbed of everything- our rights, our freedoms, and in many cases, our lives. But the fact that I stand here today, talking to you, proves that they cannot take  _ everything _ from us. They cannot break our spirits or steal our souls.”

Roe was quiet for a second. Yellow found herself wanting to hear her say something more, because when Roe spoke, it felt like she was almost in control. She seemed strong enough to take care of them. “We all have places we haven't been before. Some of us haven’t been to Lleops and others haven't been to Galojaya. I haven't ever been to the Olcareon system. Wherever we go next- in life, or in death- will just be another place we haven't been before. And now… now, we’re all going there together.”

Roe sat down. A few more silent tears slipped down Yellow’s face. She looked around at the other Pearls. At Roe. At Blue. A sense of kinship that she hadn't ever felt before surged in her chest. 

“Thanks for going back for me.” Blue’s whispered words interrupted her thoughts, quiet in her ear. “In the dome. You saved my life. You didn't have to.”

“I know I didn't. And, you’re the one that saved my life, anyways. Flying us out on the Munly like that.”

Blue made a humming noise in the back of her throat. “What a strange few units it’s been.” 

“Yeah.” And Yellow leaned her head against Blue’s shoulder. She wasn't entirely sure what made her do it, except that she was about to die and nothing she did really mattered anymore. So Yellow let herself enjoy the contact and pretend that everything would be okay. Just for a wild, fleeting moment. 

As the craft slowed to a stop, it occurred to Yellow that there was something she had wanted to ask Blue. “Hey, I -”  
But before she could finish, the back of the transport ship slammed open. She straightened. An Onyx with a whip stood there, a sharp grin on her face and a cruel light in her eyes. 

“Welcome” She said grimly “To Oriard, the best Pearl Conditioning camp on Riebes.” She jerked her head. “Get out.”

As the Pearls emptied out of the craft, shuffling and stumbling, Yellow felt her whole heart and body slow down as the impact of what the Onyx had said hit her.

“Riebes?  _ That’s _ where we are?” She hissed in Blue Pearls’ ear. 

Without warning, Yellow heard a sudden crack accompanied by blinding pain across her face. She managed to suppress her scream with the help of years of practice. Instead, she reached up and felt the long stripe of blood that ran across her cheeks and mouth. 

“No talkin’!” The Onyx snarled, blood on her whip. “You don’t get to talk!” 

The Onyx grabbed Yellow’s arm and jerked her out of the craft. Rubbing her shoulder, Yellow quietly joined the line of Pearls trudging towards the ominous looking cliffs in the distance. They were accompanied by Amathests, who jabbed them with electric spears every time someone began to lag behind. Their little group was not the only one heading towards the camp- Pearls from other shuttles joined their procession, all marching, heads down and step uniform. Brown packed dirt stretched out to the horizon, but the telltale salty scent of the sea hovered in the air.

_ Riebes.  _ Yellow wondered how she hadn't known before that they were on Riebes, why no one had told her. Riebes was the biggest Pearl kindergarten planet to date. Mostly covered in ocean, it was perfect for growing all types of Pearls. The parts of the planet that weren't covered in water were used to train Pearls in conditioning camps, compounds where Pearls learned to be submissive and wait on their masters and become dead-eyed machines, with no will or free thought. 

Yellow had already done this. After being pulled from her Oyster, she had been put through the mill, been beaten and screamed at and worked and torn apart, and she had learned quickly the type of promises the world held for gems like her. But she had also learned how to do well- how to take the fists and the orders, and how to take them with a smile. Eventually, she had excelled, and had been lifted to the honoured and revered position of Diamond’s Pearl.

And now she was back. Looking at the cliffs, and thinking of the tortues they held for her, Yellow nearly threw up. She had never wanted to return to a place like this.  _ Never. _

Each step she took felt weighted down and sluggish, like her muscles wouldn't respond properly to her brain. Her feet ached, and so did her knees and her legs, and her face where she had been whipped. She half considered attacking one of the Amethyst guards and trying to make a break for it- but it would do no good. There were so many of them, and Yellow knew that they were just  _ waiting _ for a Pearl to slip up so they could make an example of her. 

Despite the intense dread that clawed at her stomach like a living thing, there was nothing she could do to avoid the nightmare that she unwillingly walked towards. Gradually, the cliffs in the distance grew bigger and bigger, until they loomed above her like a great beast ready to snap up its prey. The towering spires that dotted the the base and side of the cliff began to come into view. She swallowed. 

As they entered the camp and took their place among the rising spires, Yellow noticed the many tunnels burrowing into the cliffside. The whole place was much bigger and more complex than it looked from a distance. There were no other Pearls to be seen, yet. But Yellow knew that they were there somewhere, hiding in the squat structures, locked in the towers.

A roaring “HALT!” command from an Onyx caused Yellow’s line of Pearls to stop moving abruptly. As directed by multiple sneering Amethysts, they all turned ninety degrees to face a raised metal platform set against one spiral’s exterior wall. The only sounds to be heard were the shouts of the guards and the eerie whistle of the wind through the towers. Yellow stood stock still, shoulders set, afraid to even breathe wrong and give anybody a reason to whip her again. As she waited with bated breath for whatever came next, more and more Pearls filed into neat rows behind her. A rainbow of them, all different types and colors, all silent as death. Yellow wanted to turn her head to look for a familiar face- Blue, or perhaps Coal or Roe- but she couldn't risk it. Couldn't risk shifting an inch. 

Finally, the incoming processions of Pearls stopped, and about a hundred of the ‘new meat’ stood in stiff, long rows. The shouts from the superior gems quieted down. The camp was still, and Yellow knew that the worst was on its way.

She did not have to wait for it long. After a few minutes, a new gem came out of one of the tall buildings. A Fire Agate, so tall that she had to duck her head to fit out of the doorway. She was a brilliant red, from her heavily muscled arms to her short and flaming hair. Two twisted red horns rose out of her head and a dull red gem shone right above her collarbones. Even her eyes were huge and blood-colored. The only part of her that wasn't in shades of ruby was her outfit, which was black all the way from her heavy combat boots to her long sleeved jacket.

As the Fire Agate’s eyes locked onto the rows of Pearls, a slow smile crept onto her face and her step gained a lazy purpose. Yellow knew she could not be counted on for mercy.

“So. You’re the  _ bad _ batch” The Agate drawled as she stopped in front of the rectangle of stiff gems. “The  _ traitors _ .” Yellow wanted to open her mouth and object to that statement, but doing so would be unwise to say the least. “I was so  _ happy _ when I got word that they decided not to put you in a shattering center. I was hoping I would get the chance to play with you.”

She surveyed them, considering each Pearl individually as her eyes swept the group. Then, without warning, she jerked her head at a specific gem in one of the back rows. The Amethyst guards reacted immediately. Four of them rushed at the crowd, shoving terrified gems away as they targeted a single Pearl somewhere in the middle of the orderly lines. A few Pearls gasped or screamed, but the majority managed to remain silent as the Amethysts seized their quarry and dragged her up towards the Fire Agate. Yellow forced herself to not turn around and look at the commotion behind her, or react to it whatsoever. Still, when the Amethysts presented the struggling Pearl to the Fire Agate, it was hard for Yellow to hold in her fear. Because she knew that Pearl. Knew her red bob and her brown eyes.

“Welcome to Oriard, Pearl.” The Fire Agate grabbed Roe by the throat with one meaty hand and lifted her off the ground. She emitted a sort of choking sound that made Yellow’s stomach flip.

“I hear you’re some kind of leader to this group.” How the Fire Agate had found that out, Yellow didn't know. But it didn't matter now. Roe thrashed and flailed, clawing at the hand around her neck, but it’s grip didn't loosen. 

“A Pearl that thinks for itself- what a funny notion.” The Fire Agate talked in a slow drawl that made clear how much she was enjoying herself. Meanwhile, Roe’s eyes were popping. She tried kicking at the Fire Agate’s torso, but it had no effect. 

“What spirit you have! You would have made excellent entertainment for any master that purchased you. What a waste.” Roe’s fight was slowly draining from her the longer she was held in the Fire Agates’ grip. Yellow saw her kicks become weaker and one of her arms drop to her side. 

“Can you sing? We get high value on any Pearls that can sing.” Roe was going limp. “Sing for me, Pearl! Sing!” But Roe, of course, couldn't sing. The Fire Agate shook her a little. Roe’s body snapped back and forth with the motion, but she did not react. Disgusted, the fire Agate dropped her. 

Roe hit the ground gasping and spluttering. She arched her back and beat the dirt, coughing so hard it sounded like she was hacking up an entire lung. Her eyes streamed. For a moment, her choking gasps were the only sound.

Then the Fire Agate bent down over Roe, who was still struggling to get air. The larger gem grabbed Roe’s chin and forced it up, making Roe look at her. “You  _ are _ a pretty thing, I must admit. Fine form. Maybe I’ll keep you, for now. Have a little fun. I’ve never had a Pearl of my own, but I'm sure you could keep me company for a while.” She smiled viciously. “Couldn’t you, sweetheart?” Her voice had gone from angry to cloyingly sweet in seconds, though it was still heavy with a thinly veiled threat that made Yellow sick to her stomach.

Roe spat in the Agate’s face.

There was a second of stunned silence. Part of Yellow Pearl felt like cheering. The other part was horrified. Roe had just made herself irredeemable. She had just sealed her fate.

The lazy hatred that could previously be seen in the Fire Agate’s expression grew into personal fury. She slammed Roe’s head into the ground so hard that Yellow could  _ hear  _ the impact, and when Roe lifted it, her face was messy with new blood.

Fire Agate stood, wiping the spit from her brow with her sleeve. “You little clod.” she said calmly. “You’re gonna regret that.” She turned and addressed the surrounding Amethysts in her cold voice. “Take her to the platform.”

Two of them advanced on Roe, who was still keeled over and bleeding on the dirt. Each grabbed one of Roe’s thin arms and hauled her up so that between them, they supported her weight. She made no effort to properly stand or fight. Instead, she let the Amethysts drag her across the hard packed dirt over to the gleaming stage Yellow faced, the Fire Agate trailing in their wake. After being toted up a narrow five-step stairway, Roe was roughly dropped onto the dirty metal. The Amethysts quickly scampered away. The Fire Agate, however, advanced.

“The Pearls out here-” She made a gesture to the silent crowd “-seem to trust you with their loyalty. So let’s see how good of a ‘leader’ you are. I’ll make you a deal, Pearl. Stand up, and I’ll grant freedom to everybody here.” She raised her arms and summoned her weapon- a great scarlet sledgehammer that was as almost as tall as she was. It’s handle was so long, it rested on the floor like a spear.

A trick. Of course the Agate would never let them go. This was simply some method of humiliation. Still, Yellow wished Roe would stand up, if only to prove a point. To wipe the taunting superiority out of the Agate's voice.

For a moment Roe just lay there. But then she shifted her arm, bracing it underneath her. With an audible groan, she raised herself to her knees, where she paused, catching her breath and getting her balance. The Agate watched with a kind of amused surprise as she planted her feet under her and made a good attempt to stand. But she didn't even get to straighten her spine before the Agate swept her legs out from under her with the shaft of her sledgehammer. Roe crashed back to the metal platform with a painful sounding thump.

But she didn't stay there. She trembled for a mere second on the ground before pushing herself back up again. Again, the Agate knocked her down, and this time she planted the shaft of her sledgehammer on Roe’s ribcage. Roe groaned in pain. She couldn't move.

“Look at you.” The Agate addressed Roe, snarling. “You’re nothing.” 

The Agate shifted her attention to the rows of silent, terrified Pearls. “You see this?” Your leader is nothing! Look at her! Not even strong enough to stand against me.” She raised her hammer slightly and dropped the tail of it on Roe’s torso. Her groan of pain was audible even from where Yellow Pearl was standing. “She is undeserving of my generosity and she has spurned my mercy. Her existence is so pathetic that she does the universe a disservice just by being alive.” 

The Fire Agate paused, surveying them, making sure that they would all see what she was about to do. Yellow Pearl wanted to close her eyes. 

“And so I will put her out of her misery.” The Agate uttered softly. With that, she grabbed her hammer with both hands and lifted it high above her head, freeing Roe from its weight. It hung there for a fragile moment, a moment where time seemed to freeze, and Yellow felt the sun on her face, and the air in her lungs, and the ground under her feet. A moment where a strange sense of calm washed over her, over the whole group of Pearls. A moment where Roe was still alive. She glanced down at them, and seemed to smile.

But then the hammer came swinging down and landed directly on Roe’s gem shoulder with a sickening crack that Yellow felt in her very core. Bizarrely, all she could think about was Roe’s voice on the transport ship, saying  _ ‘Even I am not prepared, though I have always tried to be.’  _ It seemed to be running on loop in Yellow’s head.  _ I am not prepared. I am not prepared. I am not prepared. _

Roe’s body dissolved. The Fire Agate scooped up the fragmented pieces of her gem and slipped them into into her pocket, flashing the watching crowd a grin. “For my collection.” She said by way of explanation. White hot hate snaked its way into Yellow’s veins, filling her up, drowning her. She shook with the effort of withholding it, biting the inside of her cheek until it bled.

“Now then.” The Agate resumed her leisurely demeanor. “Playtime’s over. Now that’s out of the way, we should probably start getting down to business.” She began to pace onstage. “Here’s how this is gonna work, clods. For the first part of your conditioning, you got to learn how to work. Here at Riebes, we do this in the mines.” She gestured towards the gaping tunnels in the rock face. “In those mines, we got all sorts of shiny things. Silver. Copper. Iron. Coal. All very useful to the Diamonds. Once you manually mine fifty-two thousand deca-units of stuff outta there, you move on to stage two of conditioning. Fifty-two thousand deca-units  _ each _ .” 

_ Each?  _ That would take years of nonstop labor. Years and years of it. Yellow felt heavy at the very thought of all that time, as if her limbs knew what was coming and were stubbornly refusing to cooperate. But she had no choice. None of them did, and they all knew it. Yellow could practically sense the horror radiating off her fellow Pearls, though they remained still and silent. Still, the Agate seemed to know the impact her words were having on the group, and she was taking immense pleasure in it.

“Of course, there are a few more guidelines, just to keep things interesting. First of all, you can only mine with the pickaxes we give you. No machinery, no personal weapons, no other tools. Secondly, silver will be worth double its weight, because there is very little of it and I would love to watch you kill each other. And thirdly, of course, if you try to escape, or steal anything for yourself, or act disrespectfully to your superiors, or really do anything other than mine with your tiny pickaxes, I will shatter you like your little red friend here.” She patted her pocket in a self-satisfied way.

“Oh, and just one more thing. In order to incentivise you to do your very best, I have created a little competition. First one to mine their fifty-two thousand gets five kilo-units of time shaved off their stay here, and gets market priority when they’re sold. Last five to mine their share will be shattered.” The Agate gave them a lazy, wicked grin. “Go.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some bad plans are made and a few things go boom.

The Fire Agate was trying to turn them against each other, and it worked.

Really, Yellow Pearl had to admit, creating that competition was a genius move. The Pearls were all so afraid of finishing in the last five that not a single one tried to slack off, take a break, or otherwise get up to any hijinks that could take up precious mining time. That included any plotting and rebelling that there was to be done. It saved the camp resources, too. It didn't have to spare many Amethyst guards to oversee the mines, because not a single Pearl was even thinking about doing something that an Amethyst would try to punish her for. Every Pearl worked feverishly, day and night, fueled by nothing but fear as they pounded away at the rocks with their pickaxes. 

Primarily, though, the competition did a fine job of sewing distrust and division throughout the group, until the Pearls couldn’t even trust their own friends. By the time the blisters on Yellow’s hands were beginning to pop, two fights had already broken out. One about who got to mine a new iron deposit first. Another when one Pearl tried to steal silver ore from her neighbor. Although some guards did patrol the mines, none seemed inclined to break up the fights- if anything, they encouraged them, even placing bets on who they thought would win. Sometimes the Fire Agate would take a leisurely stroll through the dank tunnels, looking for brawls or excuses to hit people. Yellow was careful to never give her either.

The mines themselves were made up of dozens of winding passageways that diverged into hundreds of smaller ones. Inside, the Pearls were allowed to go anywhere and dig anything. So long as they were mining, they were free to move about. Not unmonitored, of course. Each wore a tiny metal anklet that acted as a tracker capable of delivering an electric shock to their wearer if she was foolish enough to try to leave the area with one. The furthest the anklet allowed the Pearls to go was to the drop point, which was located in the tunnel leading to the surface. The drop point was where each Pearl would bring her precious hauls of ore to be weighed and recorded by leering Blue Agates every time she got enough to be significant.

It was dark down in the mines. Fluorescent lights dangled precariously from the ceiling every five feet or so, providing just enough light to see by. The air was stale and seemed solid in Yellow’s mouth, as if it was condensing in her lungs whenever she breathed in. Inhaling tasted like eating rocks and exhaling felt like spitting dust. At first, her hands bled and her shoulders ached with the work, but after a few days, Yellow felt her palms forming calluses and her muscles slowly strengthening. Well, it could have been days. Or hours. Or weeks. Without any clocks in the mines, Yellow quickly lost all sense of time. All there was was the work, and the threat of death that smothered her like a too-heavy blanket.

And of course, there was the never ending noise- the  _ clang, clang, clang _ of a hundred pickaxes hitting metal. There was no escaping it. It echoed along the tunnels no matter where Yellow went. Even covering her ears could not block it out. Sometimes she wondered if it was all in her head, if the noise had gotten trapped in there and now bounced around on the inside of her skull, refusing to dissipate into her mind. As a matter of fact, Yellow now wondered if a lot of things were only in her head. Stars, for example. She used to see the stars every day. She was born under them, and she had lived under them. Within them. But now they seemed distant and outlandish, like a good dream that made no sense once you woke up. 

“Keep working, you colds!” An Amethyst growled in Yellow’s general direction. Yellow kept her head down and again swung her pickaxe at the hard packed dirt. She was hoping to strike a deposit of iron or coal soon, but so far, she’d had no luck. But Yellow didn't really feel disappointed. In fact, she didn't really feel anything at all. After the first dozen handfuls of ore, she had become somewhat numb to her surroundings. Now, all that mattered was that she kept her pickaxe moving.

The Amethyst moved away. Yellow was raising her arms to swing again when she felt a quick tap on her shoulder. It startled her so much that she nearly dropped the lofted pickaxe on her own head. Recovering her composure, Yellow lowered the tool and whirled around, ready for a fight. So far, she had been lucky enough to be mostly left alone by the guards and other Pearls, but she knew that luck couldn't hold.

So Yellow was surprised to see that the person who had tapped her was not poised to attack at all. Quite the opposite. Her pickaxe leaned on the floor and her hands rested on its handle. Though it was hard to see her color very well in the dim light, her shape was as familiar as anything. Blue Pearl. 

“Blue?” Yellow whispered, aghast. “Wha- what are you doing here?” Yellow hadn't seen Blue since the transport ship, which felt like a lifetime ago. And Yellow wasn't complaining about it. Better if she avoided Blue, who would only distract her. If Yellow wanted to survive, she had to seamlessly adapt to her surroundings, which meant putting everything else behind her. Still, as if determined to spite her, her stubborn heart felt lighter at the sight of Blue’s floofy head.

Blue, however, didn't look very happy. She glanced around nervously, then motioned for Yellow to lean in so she could whisper in her ear. Yellow hesitated, then obliged.

“Jasper is here.” Blue’s voice was so faint that Yellow could barely hear it, especially with the distant clanging in the tunnel. But there was no mistaking what she had said.

“What?!” Yellow exclaimed sharply, drawing back. Blue frowned her, then pressed a finger to her own lips to signal that Yellow should  _ be quiet.  _ But Yellow was having an exceptionally difficult time with that. “That’s not- that can't be. The Jasper from Lumecia? How do you know?”

“I heard the Blue Agates talking about it as I was going to the drop point.” Blue murmured. “They said a Jasper from Galojaya had come asking after two Pearls. A yellow and a blue one.”

Yellow swore. “What are we gonna do? These anklets- they have us tracked. They know exactly where we are. They can come down here to collect us anytime they please!”

Blue shook her head. “Too much work.” She muttered “They’re waiting for us to come to the drop point with our next deposits. They’ll apprehend us there.”

“So we don’t go.”

“They’ll come after us if we don’t show. Jasper won’t give up that easily.”

“If Jasper gets us, she’ll shatter us. No, she’ll take us to court and then have someone else shatter us.” Yellow looked around at the surrounding walls in panic. If she’d been feeling claustrophobic before, it was nothing compared to now. “We can’t fight our way out. No, no. We have to get out of here. Blue, we have to get out of here  _ now _ .” The tunnels seemed to be closing in on her. Yellow felt an almost primal urge to bolt. “The entrance- no, that’s guarded- there has to be another way out of here- we could, we could dig our way out, but no, these stupid trackers-”

“Yellow, calm down.” Blue commanded. “Stop panicking.”

“Well what’s your plan, genius? Got any ideas?” Yellow tried her best to force logic back into her head and coherence into her voice, but she was still drawn tight with fear.

“First things first, we have to get these anklets off. Then, at least, they won't be able to find us so easily.”

“We can’t. They're super tough, and besides, we’re surrounded by other gems.”

“So we get away from the other gems.”

“Even if we could, what then? Jasper’s not just gonna go away.”

“We can hide in the mines. Make a break for it the first chance we get.” 

“That’s a horrible plan.”

“Got a better idea?” Blue hissed. “Let’s go. Bring your pickaxe.”

Yellow grudgingly followed Blue as she slipped out of their tunnel and into another, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. A few Pearls gave them wary looks as they passed, but most simply ignored them. 

“Mind clueing me in as to where we’re going?” Yellow asked Blue as the two of them slunk deeper and deeper into the mines, passing two strange looking Amethysts as they did so.

“A mining accident happened a while ago, and the guards had to close off a section of the tunnel. We won’t be disturbed there.”  
“What accident?”

Blue Pearl only shrugged, which should have been expected, honestly. Yellow really felt that Blue should be expressing more concern about their current situation, but fine. At least she was keeping her wits intact. Yellow could panic enough for both of them.

They reached their destination, which was marked by a circular red sign- a universal STOP signal. Even illiterate gems understood it’s meaning, so Yellow and Blue wouldn’t have any excuses if they were caught trespassing. Then again, being out of bounds would be the least of their worries if they were caught, so excuses didn't really matter. 

Ahead of Yellow, Blue froze. Yellow was about to ask what was wrong when Blue grabbed her by the collar and yanked her into the mouth of a tiny, deserted side tunnel that branched off right next to the sign. 

“Wha-”  
“Guard” Blue hissed into Yellow’s ear. 

She was right. Next to the entrance of the closed-off tunnel stood a tall, scowling Amethyst with cheap armour and a whip.

Yellow swore as quietly as possible. “What are we going to do now?”

Blue hesitated. “We could… distract her?”  
“With what.”

Blue paused, clearly trying to puzzle out a solution to this unexpected problem. “You’re right. We can’t distract her. Nevermind.”

“We could… maybe bribery?” 

“We don’t have anything to bribe her with.” Blue pointed out.

“That's true.” Yellow acknowledged “And I doubt this one’s going to let us through out of the goodness of her heart.”

Blue nodded, and said nothing.

“We’re going to have to fight her.” Yellow realized unhappily. “It’s the only way. We can’t lure her away and we can’t get her to let us through.” Yellow expected Blue to argue with her on her conclusion, but instead a resolute look appeared on Blue’s face. She nodded.

“It’s two against one” Yellow pointed out. “The numbers are in our favor. We’re going to have to take care of her quick so she can’t call for backup, though.” She considered Blue Pearl. Blue was lithe and slim, looked strong enough. “Can you fight?”

“I’m alright.”

That would have to do. Yellow herself was not a fighter, but work in the mines had made her strong. She could swing her pickaxe with enough force to do some serious damage, she was sure. “Our best bet is to walk up to her and attack by surprise. You distract her, and I’ll attack from the side.”

Blue nodded again. “That makes sense.” she said. “I’m better at talking to people.”

“Hey, that’s not-”

But Blue had already slipped out from their little hiding place and was approaching the guard, who was watching her warily. Yellow fell into step behind her.

“Excuse me” came Blue’s soft voice. “I was just wondering…”  
“Get back to work, Pearls. You can’t come in here. Scram.” The guard did not seem awfully pleased to see them. 

Blue Pearl continued walking forwards. “I just wanted to ask what happened here.”

“Didn't you hear me, you clod! I said leave, before I make you.” She twirled her whip as Yellow slunk to into position.

“Hang on, now, I just-”

But Blue never got a chance to finish her sentence, because Yellow flew into action. Without warning, she raised her pickaxe and swung it with as much force as she could muster at the Amethyst's skull. If only Yellow wasn't so short, she would have hit her mark, too. As it was, Yellow simply couldn't get her axe high enough to hit the towering guard's head. Instead, it rammed into her shoulder with the force of a spaceship and sent her sprawling. 

Internally cursing her tiny stature, Yellow hefted her pickaxe and aimed again, trying to strike before the Amethyst could recover her wits. The pickaxe came swishing down on the gaurds’s prone form, but she rolled out of the way right before it made contact with her neck. Instead, the pickaxe buried itself in the dirt.

The Amethyst leapt to her feet, snarling, her right arm dangling uselessly at her side. She grabbed her whip with her left hand and whirled to face Yellow, who was struggling to pull her pickaxe out of the ground. “You little clod!” She bellowed, and raised her weapon. Yellow abandoned her battle with the pickaxe and dove out of the way just as the Amethyst snapped her whip across the place where Yellow had been moments before.

Yellow’s heart was pounding in her throat. Now that they had lost the element of surprise, their chances of winning had diminished significantly. And without her pickaxe, Yellow had no doubt that it was only a matter of time before they lost. 

She heard the metallic  _ shing  _ sound of Blue Pearl drawing her weapon, but she had no time to turn around and see what Blue was doing. The Amethyst’s whip was hissing through the air again, forcing her to dive into a back corner to avoid it. Yellow made a painful landing, but rolled herself over and focused on her adversary as soon as she’d recovered, expecting to see her lifting her weapon to attack again. But the Amethyst's whip was otherwise engaged. It had been blocked, Yellow saw, by the ceremonial three-pronged trident wielded by Blue Pearl.

With a quick, circular movement, Blue used her trident’s prongs to jerk the whip out of the guard's grip. Blue kicked the whip behind her and dove at the Amethyst, spear outstretched, forcing her to lunge into the ground to avoid the attack. The Amethyst got back onto her feet as quickly as she could, but Blue was already coming at her again, wielding her spear like it was an extension of her body. Blue swiped from the left, causing the Amethyst to stumble backwards, trying to get out of her reach. Blue took advantage of her opponent’s temporary unsteadiness to sweep her feet out from under her. 

Blue fought with the grace of a trained dancer and the fury of a Diamond. She ducked, she wove, she paired, she thrust, every move purposeful, every strike perfectly executed. Compared to Blue, the Amethyst's movements were sloppy and ridiculous looking. Blue took up an aggressive offensive as the Amethyst struggled to stay alive, her movements getting messier every desperate dodge she made. It wasn't long before the silver trident found its mark. The Amethyst, in a commendable last-ditch effort to recover herself, lunged for her lost whip. Blue had been anticipating the move, however, and just as the guard's hand closed around her weapon, Blue brought her own down right into the Amethyst's head. 

The Amethyst froze for a second, the shaft of Blue’s trident sticking out of her forehead like a horn. Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she stared at Blue Pearl. “You-” 

And then she disappeared with a poof sound and a puff of air. A sparkly purple gem clattered to the floor.

Blue crouched down and dug a little hole in the ground with her hands, then picked up the Amethyst's gemstone and dropped it in. “So no one finds it.” She explained to Yellow Pearl as she covered the gem in dirt. 

Yellow Pearl opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Blue Pearl wrest Yellow’s pickaxe from the ground with considerable effort and walked over to Yellow herself, who was still sitting in the corner, stunned. Blue offered her hand.

Shaking herself out of her shock, Yellow mutely let Blue pull her to her feet. But as soon as she was standing, she found that she couldn't shut herself up. “Blue! How did you- I mean, I can't believe- I was watching- I mean, you just, that was, that was-”

“Amazing?” Blue asked slyly. Her cheeks were flushed and she was grinning, which was a new look for her. 

“Yes! I mean, you-”  
“We have to get moving.” Blue cut her off, jerking her head at the tunnel they had fought an Amethyst to gain access to. “But by all means” she added “Continue to compliment me later.”

Was that sass in her tone? Blue was acting awfully uncharacteristic. Bold. Confident. It probably had something to do with the massive adrenaline rush she must have just experienced.

“Right.” Yellow said, feeling strangely hot. All that exertion from the battle, probably. “Let’s go.”

They headed down the forbidden tunnel. Yellow half expected to be stopped at any moment by some gaurd or Pearl who’d heard their scuffle with the Amethyst, but as they wound their way deeper into the passages, Yellow’s confidence that they were safe grew. 

Finally, the tunnel that they were traveling down dead-ended in a rounded room lined with veins of silver and dimly lit bly a few blueish lanterns. The constant clanging of the mines was muted here, and as a result, the room seemed too quiet to be real. Blue Pearl collapsed on the ground at the edge of the room, still looking immensely pleased with herself. Yellow sat down next to her, brimming with questions.

But she didn't get a chance to ask them, because Blue’s demeanor turned serious the second Yellow sat down. “We should be well out of earshot of the others, now.” She said. “Give me your ankle.”

“Try not to crush it.” Yellow responded as she stuck her foot out in front of Blue.

Biting her lip in concentration, Blue adjusted Yellow’s anklet to get the best angle possible. The smooth metal of the ring was mostly unbroken, save for a single tiny light and a thin crack that ran up one side. Blue lifted the pickaxe and took a few practice swings, aiming for the seam. 

“Ok.” She muttered nervously. “Here we go.” 

She raised the pickaxe and brought it down on the seam with a fair amount of force. Yellow closed her eyes as the weapon fell, but tenitavely cracked them open again when she didn't feel any pain.

“Huh.” Yellow said, examining her anklet. “Well, it sort of worked.” The metal had been dented, but the thing still remained very much attached to her body. The dim, green light on it was still lit, and it did not seem to be any weaker, structurally speaking. “Do it again.”

It took a total of seven hits to get the little metal tracker to spring off Yellow’s leg. Each time Blue swung the pickaxe, Yellow winced and closed her eyes on instinct, but she was never hit. Still, when the anklet was finally detached, Yellow hastily withdrew her leg to her chest with a sense of great relief that she still had her foot.

“I’m free.” She said wonderingly, examining her bare ankle. Then she turned to glare at the anklet, who’s tiny light had turned from green to red. “Ha!”

“I wonder if we broke it.” Blue mused in her quiet way.

Yellow was about to suggest that they smash it a few extra times just to be sure, but before she could say anything, the metal ring began to make a strange noise.

_ Beep. Beep. Beep _

“Uhh, what’s that?” Yellow asked Blue, who shook her head in bewilderment. “Maybe it’s malfunctioning or something?” 

“Let me see it.” Offered Blue. Yellow handed it over to her.

“It’s getting faster.” Yellow commented. “I don't think that’s a good thing. And… that little light is blinking.” She felt her heart sped up as she considered the possibilities of what might be happening. None of them were very good. “Do you think it’s sending a signal to the guards? Does it know we got it off?”

Blue turned it over in the hands gingerly and did not respond, which was not very reassuring.

_ Beep, Beep, Beep,  _

Yellow felt a prickle of realization, and voiced it as it occurred to her. “Don’t things that beep really fast… tend to explode?” She asked slowly.

Blue’s eyes widened. “Diamonds.” She breathed. “This thing’s a bomb.” She dropped the explosive and glanced over at Yellow, panicked.

Yellow blanched, her brain struggling to absorb this new realization. “We have to deactivate it.” And she leapt to her feet.

“We can’t.” said Blue, also scrambling to stand.

“Just smash it with a pickaxe.” Yellow said, her voice getting louder and faster as the beeping quickened. Her nerves were shot and her whole body was drawn tight as a bowstring, readying itself for a sudden, fiery explosion.

“That might set it off early. We have to get rid of it.” In contrast, Blue’s voice did not reflect her emotions, but was infuriatingly calm. Still, Yellow could see her fear in the way she had tensed, the way she became unnaturally still and her breathing sped up.  
“How?” Yellow demanded.

Blue scooped up the bomb and glanced around, desperate, paralyzed by indecision.

_ Beep Beep Beep beepbeepbeep. _

“Throw it!” Yellow shouted, panicked. “It’s gonna blow!”

Blue didn't need telling twice. Without hesitation, she chucked the little metal device towards the exit, aiming to get it as far away from them as possible. Yellow held her breath as she watched it soar through the air, end over broken end. It had been a powerful throw, and for a moment, it looked like the collar would fly through the tunnel and out of sight. But they were never so lucky. At the height of its arc, near the mouth of the tunnel, the anklet exploded with a deafening BOOM that shook the very foundations of the room. Yellow braced herself, but was still thrown backwards against the wall with the force of the explosion. All the air in her lungs felt as if it had been pushed out, and Yellow choked on nothing, struggling to inhale. But before she could even begin to regain her breath or her wits, the echoes of the explosion started to fade and give way to a powerful rumbling that seemed to be coming from the dirt itself. Yellow tilted her head and arched her back, her ears ringing, her body in shock, just in time to get a view of the entrance of the cave, where chunks of the ceiling were breaking off and falling to the floor with a great crashing sound.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which secrets come to light.

“ _ Cave in. _ ” Yellow gasped, though nobody could hear her. Instinctively, she dropped to the floor and curled into a ball, throwing her arms up over her head. The ground beneath her rocked, and behind her, the sound of stone crumbling continued, though the thump of her own blood pounding in her ears helped to drown it out. Yellow squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself to be hit by falling rocks at any second. Panic was flooding her brain and the echoes of the explosion still rang inside her head, making it difficult to think straight. All she could do was make herself as small as possible and hope against hope that the shaking would stop soon.

And it did stop, eventually. The noises receded first, then the shaking, until finally, everything was silent and still. Yellow remained curled in her ball, though, her heart pounding away in her chest, trying to even out her breathing. She was too dazed and terrified to move, worried that shifting her position even the tiniest bit might bring the whole cave down on them. 

“Yellow!” Blue’s voice came from somewhere above her head. Yellow felt a slim hand grab her shoulder and shake it roughly. “Yellow, wake up. Yellow, please wake up.” It was enough to rouse Yellow from her paralysis. She groaned to affirm that she was still alive and started to uncurl from her tight little ball, slowly, testing each of her limbs to make sure that none were broken before carefully sitting up.

“Oh, thank the Diamonds.” Yellow heard Blue sigh. She stood shakily and offered Yellow her hand. Together, they lurched to their feet, staggering as their legs re-acclimated to supporting their weight. Yellow scanned the dim cave, assessing their situation. The air was thick with dust and chunks of rock littered the room. Most of the blue lanterns had been buried, crushed, or extinguished, making the space awfully dark. The entrance was no longer anywhere to be seen. They were surrounded on all sides by thick dirt walls that looked about as immovable as anything. Yellow considered testing them, seeing if she could break through any to the passageway that must be beyond one, but she knew that none of them would budge.

The effects of claustrophobia began to cloud Yellow’s already racing mind, but she forced it away. They were in no immediate danger, as far as she could see. She ordered herself to calm down and get a grip. She took a deep breath. Exhaled. Then laughed.

“What?” Blue asked, standing next to her.

“It’s just, we have such terrible luck.” Yellow lamented.

Blue snorted. 

“I mean, really. Why is it always us? That ankle thing just  _ had _ to explode, didn't it. Not only that, it had to explode by the only exit from the most  _ unstable _ section of the mine.”

“Conversely, we also have really  _ good _ luck.” Blue pointed out, quiet but not shy. “Because that collapse should’ve killed us. But we survived.”

“Only to be trapped and die of boredom.” Yellow said. She felt exceptionally giddy, and maybe a little bit insane. Perhaps she should be taking this situation more seriously, but for some reason, she couldn't. 

Blue laughed good and properly, which made Yellow feel lighter. She turned and really looked at Blue for the first time since the collapse, grinning. Blue was dirty and ragged, but seemed mostly unhurt, except for…

“You’re bleeding.” Yellow realized, pointing to a spot near Blue’s hairline where blood was coloring her bangs dark red. 

Blue reached up to press her hand against the bloody area and winced. “I’m fine.”

And then she fainted.

“Blue!” Yellow lunged forwards and managed to catch her before she hit the floor.  _ What was happening? _ She must be going into shock. Either that, or she had sustained a major brain injury that’d messed her up so badly she’d lost consciousness. Yellow decided it was the first option, simply because she didn't know how to deal with the second one. She gently set Blue down on the floor and tore a chunk of fabric off of Blue’s already very filthy and torn skirt. “Hang on.” She muttered to Blue’s prone form. “Just let me…”

Yellow bunched up the fabric in her hand, ready to staunch the bleeding as best she could. She reached over to brush Blue’s hair out of her face, hesitated, then pushed the messy bangs back.

Blue Pearl had a nice face. Thin lips, small nose, high cheekbones. Her mouth hung open slightly and her expression was peaceful. But something was wrong. Yellow had always imagined that Blue’s hair hid two symmetrical blue eyes, one on each side of her nose. That’s how it should've been. Instead, a single eye sat closed right in the middle of her forehead.

Yellow withdrew her hand and scooted backwards in shock. Was she hallucinating? Perhaps she, too, had been hit on the head, and now she was imagining that Blue Pearl had only one eye. Because that couldn't be right- could it? It’s true that Yellow had never actually seen Blue’s entire face before, but she had always assumed it was because Blue was just shy, or maybe Blue Diamond had just given her an unfortunate haircut.

Apparently not. 

Yellow crept close to Blue again, warily. Sure enough, the proof was right in front of her. Just like a Sapphire, Blue Pearl had a solitary, slightly larger than average eye centered right above her nose. It was shut in a peaceful sort of manner, it’s lid a light blue and the lashes long and dark. To its left, a small gash beneath Blue’s hairline was dribbling blood.

Although Yellow was still reeling, the sight of the wound reminded her that this unexpected discovery had not changed Blue’s predicament. Numbly, Yellow pressed the cloth in her hand to the cut, applying pressure. The wound didn't look very bad at all, really. Easy enough to clean up. It was hard to focus on her task, however, when Yellow’s attention kept shifting towards Blue’s eye. How was this possible? Blue must have been born with some sort of defect or mutation- but if that was true, then how was she still alive? The Diamonds didn't let gems with that sort of deformity stick around very long. There had to be a logical reason for all this, Yellow reminded herself. Blue could explain it when she woke up.

_ Would _ she explain it, though? She hadn’t seemed exactly keen to mention it before. Though she knew it was illogical, Yellow still felt a prickle of betrayal. It’s not like she’d expected Blue to tell her  _ everything _ about herself, but considering how much they’d been through together, this was a pretty massive secret to hide. Then again, Yellow couldn’t blame her, really, for keeping it to herself- after all, Yellow probably would have done the same, in her situation. Wasn't her whole life strategy centered around not trusting other people? Blue Pearl didn't owe her anything, and she didn't owe Blue anything either. So why did she feel hurt? She gave herself a mental slap. There was no real reason for her to be upset, at least until she figured out the whole story.

Yellow mulled the possibilities and implications of all this over in her mind as the bleeding slowed and Blue began to drift back into consciousness. Yellow withdrew her hand from Blue’s face and sat back as her eye twitched, then slowly fluttered open. Blue blinked a few times before groaning and lurching into a sitting position, raising her hand to touch her cut. 

“My head.” She grumbled, wincing as she pressed her palm against the offending area. 

“Yeah, I think you got hit by a rock or something.” Yellow commented next to her, trying to sound as casual as possible. “You sorta just collapsed. Probably from shock.”

Blue whirled around at the sound of Yellow’s voice, but smiled when she caught sight of who’d spoken. “Yellow! You scared me.”

It was the first time Blue had ever looked at Yellow without hair covering her eye. It was so strange, to see her full face. Blue’s iris was rich shade of blue, and it sparked somewhat in the dim blue lighting.

Blue must have picked up on something in Yellow’s expression, because she reached up to touch her face self consciously. “How bad is it?” She asked, referring to the head injury she thought Yellow was gaping at. 

“Oh, um, not too bad. Not very bat at all. It’s just, uh, you sort of…” Yellow trailed off, unsure how to approach the topic. She settled for awkwardly gesturing to Blue’s face.

Blue’s momentary look of confusion was quickly replaced by one of dawning horror as she reached up and felt her uncovered forehead. She grabbed her bangs and pulled them back over her eye, but it was already far too late. She stared at Yellow, clearly panicking.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Of all the questions that Yellow was burning to ask, that one was certainly the least important, but it was the one that burst out first. And with it came an undertone of unbidden resentment that just made Yellow mad at herself. She shouldn't be angry at Blue Pearl for keeping her own secrets.

Blue sat stock still, every muscle tensed, completely frozen. Her mouth moved silently, as if she was searching for something to say. Yellow noticed that it was much harder to discern her expression when her eye was covered. “I… I didn't..”

“Blue.” Yellow said.“I already saw you.”  
Blue shook her head vigorously and backed away, looking like a cornered animal.

“Hey, calm down. And tell me what’s going on. How do you even- one eye? How are you  _ here _ ? I can't believe- were you ever going to say anything, or-?” Yellow stopped herself. She was feeling some mix of worry, curiosity, and anger that was difficult to keep out of her voice. She silently cursed whoever invented emotions.

Blue didn’t respond- just looked at her, practically wild with fear. Yellow’s heart twisted. “Blue, come on.” She tried again, her voice softer this time. “It’s okay? You don’t have to- I mean, you can trust me. I guess.”

Blue was quiet for a few moments. Yellow had to force herself not to say anything else, worried that more talking would just scare Blue away. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of strained silence, Blue appeared to regain some sense of calm. Bits of tension began to drain out of her as she seemed to recover rational thought. Yellow knew she must be trying to figure out what to do. She bit her tongue to avoid blurting out something stupid.

Finally, Blue took a great, shuddering breath. “Okay.” She muttered “Okay.” She straightened herself slightly, though she still looked shaken, and looked squarely at Yellow, decided. “You can't tell anyone. Nobody else, not even the people you think you trust, okay?

“Alright.” Yellow promised curiously. 

Blue stood, wincing at the pain in her head, and walked over to the wall, where she settled back down with her back against the hard dirt. She looked so lonely over there, so sad and forlorn, sitting against a dark wall all by herself. Uncertainty, Yellow walked over and sat next to her.

Blue stared straight ahead. “What do you want to know?”

“You have only one eye?” Yellow already knew that, of course, but it seemed important to acknowledge it before moving on.

“Yes.”

“How did you even make it out of your oyster? You know they kill any defects the second they pop out. And wait, are you telling me that you’ve lived your whole life covering your eyes with your hair? How do you see? Has no one really found out before? And, also, wait, does this have something to do with how you learned to fight, because you must've learned how to beat that Amethyst  _ somewhere, _ and hold on, how well can you see with that thing? Can you tell the future like a Sapphire?”

Blue sighed. “You sure ask a lot of questions.” She muttered, thought there was no real venom in it. “I had better start from the beginning.” She continued staring straight ahead. Her voice was as whispery as always, but in the silent cave, it sounded loud as a trumpet. 

“I was pulled from my oyster about seven thousand years ago, right in the middle of the great gem war. I should have been shattered immediately when I came out, but I was lucky. The rebellion attacked my kindergarten that same day. The rebels found me and decided to take me with them.  
“They brought me to Pink Diamond’s planet, which they called ‘Earth’. They gave me to one of their highest ranking officials, a fusion who went by the name of Crazy Lace. She took me under her wing. Trained me to fight and to fly. She told me I was my own Pearl, that I belonged to no one. But still, I stayed with her. I stayed with the rebellion. I battled Jespers and raced Nepherites. I won, too.” It was the most Yellow Pearl had ever heard Blue say at one time. Her voice was even, but she still wouldn't look at Yellow as she continued. 

“But I got cocky. Overconfident. Sloppy. I made mistakes, and good gems were hurt because of it. My… Crazy Lace got captured and shattered, and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't go back without her. I ran away. I’m not proud of it. I was hoping… hoping to escape the war altogether. But the war was _everywhere._ And I was caught. Of course I was. My captors were supposed to shatter me for my deformity, but one of the took a liking to me. A Nephrite. She saved me and kept me a secret, so I could wait on her. She used to say ‘A broken Pearl is better than no Pearl.’ She was the one who taught me to wear my hair down, so nobody could tell that I was different.  
“Even so, I hated her. She was terrible, I mean, absolutely the worst master I've ever had. She used to.. well, it’s not important. I escaped. It wasn’t easy, but I managed. Tried to go back home, only to learn that the rebellion was gone, and everyone I knew was dead. I was caught again. Sold. Caught. I learned how to be a good Pearl from experience. More importantly, I figured out how to keep my face covered by any means necessary. When my old master was shattered in a freak accident, I became the property of Yellow Diamond. She knew that I was good at what I did, so she gave me to Blue Diamond, in an effort to cheer her up.” Blue Pearl paused. “I don’t think it worked very well.”

Yellow blinked at her, dumbfounded. Her story made sense, yet Yellow was having a very difficult time fitting it all into her brain. Blue, a rebel? Quiet, shy, soft spoken Blue, a reckless, battle hardened traitor? It didn't really seem to fit her. Or did it? Yellow thought about the power Blue had exuded after defeating that Amethyst, about how easily she had handled the Munly. About all her crazy, preposterous ideas, like breaking a Diamond’s ship out of it’s hanger and hacking a tracker anklet off with a pickaxe. And her unprecedented kindness, the way she acted all soft to gems who seemed to be hurting or afraid… 

“And no one has ever found out?” Yellow wondered. She wished Blue would look at her.

“They have. But I've always found a way to cover it up. And I've gotten better at hiding, over the years. I’m very good at being invisible.” That was true. Blue was the kind of Pearl that easily blended into the background. 

It dawned on Yellow that she and Blue both employed different strategies to achieve the same goal. Yellow was loud and demanding and terrible, and Blue was quiet and shy and distant, but in the end, they both pushed people away until they were totally isolated. Yellow wanted to point this out, but isolation was a strange thing to share, so she kept quiet. She  _ really _ wished Blue would look at her. She thought of the easy way Blue had laughed earlier, and how simple it had been to talk to her. Now, Blue Pearl felt as distant from her as the Diamonds themselves.

Blue wasn't as timid as she made herself out to be, Yellow realized. She was just excellent at hiding her emotions. If Yellow hadn't known better, she would have thought that at the moment, Blue was as calm and put together as ever. But that couldn't be true, so Yellow looked for the cracks in her facade, and sure enough, they were there- a slightly shaking hand, a too-still expression. 

“I didn't tell you sooner” Blue stated. “Because I never tell anyone, ever. I think the reasons for that are pretty clear.” They were. The fewer people you confided in, the safer your secrets were. “And it’s not like I got a whole lot of opportunities to say anything. Besides.” She hesitated, “I didn't want you to hate me, yet. We had a better chance of surviving if we stuck together, and I-”  
“What do you mean, hate you?” Yellow interrupted. 

Blue paused. “Don’t you? I mean-”  
“No, I don’t _hate_ you.” Yellow insisted, somewhat offended that Blue would think that.

Blue frowned. “But- earlier you sounded- wait, you don’t care that I was a rebel? Or that I’m a defect? But, you’re the one that wants to go back to the Diamonds, right? And you must know that I’m putting you in even more danger just by being around you.”

“Yes, but I- is that really why you didn't say anything? You thought I would turn on you or something?” 

Blue shrugged, glancing down. “It’s happened before.”

“I wouldn't hate you for something like  _ that _ .” Yellow protested. “I mean, before all this, It might have made me mistrustful, but…” Yellow tried to find a way to say what she meant without sounding like she cared too much. “Well, you’ve already saved my life… how many times? This isn't going to just erase all that. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t… um… but… the point is, I don't hate you. I mean, I like you. No, I mean, I, I wouldn't turn you in or anything. I mean.”  _ Stop talking now.  _ Yellow thought to herself.

“Really?” Blue asked, finally looking up at Yellow. “But you-”

“I act the way I act to survive, Blue. It’s the Diamond’s job to hate other people. I just do what they tell me to do. I mean, gems can’t help the way they’re made, can they?”  
“No. I suppose they can’t.” Blue said, and Yellow almost saw her smile with relief. 

“How do you even see with your hair covering your face all the time?”

“I manage. My hair is finer than it looks.”

“Huh. So why are you using it to cover your eye now?” 

“...You don’t mind seeing my eye?”

Yellow saw her opportunity and took it. “No,  _ eye _ don’t.”

Blue Pearl stared at her for a second. Then she snorted. The snort turned into a torrent of uncontrollable giggles, bubbling out of her like a spring. “Diamonds, I can’t believe you just said that.”

“I can’t believe you actually found that funny.” Yellow responded, fighting back a grin. 

“I didn't.” Blue said, still laughing. “It was terrible.” And she combed her bangs back with her fingers. She looked at Yellow sideways with her single eye, grinning uncertainty, gauging her reaction. 

“Have you ever pretended to be a really tall sapphire?” Yellow asked, wanting to make her laugh again. “Like, have you ever put on a Sapphire’s dress and lied to someone about their future?”

Blue snickered. She looked so different with her hair pulled back. More confident. “Once, actually. When I was in the rebellion. They totally believed it, too.” A hint of mischief leaked into her tone. “I told them a  _ bunch _ of things that weren't true.”

“Like what?”

“Like…” Her voice took on a strangely high pitch. “One person in this room is a traitor in disguise, but I _ simply _ cannot discern who.”

Yellow choked. “You said that?”

“Ohh, my Diamond!” Blue’s continued, her tone climbing so high it was ridiculous. “I’m so sorry to say, but I see a  _ terrible _ skin rash in your future! I’m afraid that it will be  _ so _ disgusting to look at that White Diamond may temporarily  _ evict _ you from Homeworld!”

Yellow sputtered with laughter. “Oh my Diamonds, you  _ didn't _ !”

“I did.”

And they bought it?”

“Yes! Of course, they found me out eventually. But by then I was long gone.” 

She grinned, and it occurred to Yellow that Blue looked ridiculously pretty with her hair pulled back. 

“Those people we met earlier- Coal and Roe and the like-” Yellow felt heavier mentioning Roe’s name, but she pushed on. “They were rebels. Were you going to join them?”

Blue Pearl’s face became pensive as she considered the question. “No, I wasn't. I don't think I could be a rebel anymore.”  
“Why not?” 

“I didn't do so well the first time, did I?”

“Ha! Are you kidding? I saw you fight that Amethyst, Blue. I mean, I didn’t think it was possible to use a ceremonial spear as a  _ weapon _ , but you did amazing.” Yellow burst out. 

“Thanks.” Blue said shyly. “What about you?”

“What about me?”  
“Would you have gone and become a rebel?”

“Um, I don’t know.” Yellow hesitated, trying to find a way to phrase what she meant. “For so long, I lived under Diamond rule. I let it shape my whole life, you know? It’s not like I was happy there, but it’s what I’m good at… what I know. I’m not sure I could go against it.” Yellow felt like she had said too much, but she couldn't seem to stop. Something about talking to Blue made her feel lighter. Giddier. It was harder to remember that Yellow was supposed to keep these thoughts to herself.

Blue nodded like she knew exactly what Yellow Pearl meant. “I understand that.”

“You’re talking an awful lot.” Yellow said, and then realized how it sounded. “No, I mean, It’s not bad. I just… you’re usually so quiet.”

Blue shrugged “I like talking to you.” 

“Um, well, I like talking to you too.” Yellow felt her face heating up and decided to change the subject. “How do you reckon we’re going to get out of here?”

Blue looked up at the rocky walls of their underground cage. “I still have my anklet, so the guards know where we are. They’ll come for us eventually.” She said unhappily.

“We’ll be caught for sure.”

“It’s the only way we’ll ever make it out. I tested all the walls before I found you. Rock solid.”

“Can you fight off the guards, once they open up an exit?”

“Depends on how many there are. But probably not. Once they learn I can fight, they'll just send more and more Amethysts. We would be caught eventually.”

“So your mentality is, better sooner than later?” Yellow asked sarcastically.

“Better we conserve our energy, right? We’ll have to figure out some other plan once they get us, but for now, we’re stuck here.”

Yellow looked at the wall baring their way forwards. “Hey, so. Thanks for telling me that Jasper was here. ” Blue looked confused, so she elaborated. “I mean, you didn't have to go find me when you realized she was looking for us, but you did, so thanks.”

“Well, I wasn't going to _leave_ you there. Consider it repayment for all the times you’ve saved me, which is… wait, how many?”  
“Well, there was that time with the bottleneck, and I did pull you from the ship, and also I helped us get away from Topaz…”

“No you didn't.” Blue interrupted. “Your way of doing things was going to get us killed. I was the one that saved us there.” 

“Were you? I don’t quite remember.” Blue elbowed Yellow’s side, grinning. Strangely, Yellow’s brain kept noticing a weird amount of details about her. Like how Blue kept looking at her sideways, with her eye all sparkly, or the way Blue’s mouth twisted into this wry smile, or how her shoulders shifted as she talked-

“I also saved us during the trial, remember?”

“What? No you didn't.” 

“Yeah I did. Remember, you were going to lie about that stupid letter, and I told you not to?” Blue said smugly.

“Um, I wasn't going to  _ lie. _ ” Blue raised her eyebrows. “I just, I don’t know Blue, it’s like I said before. That’s Yellow Diamond’s personal correspondence to White Diamond, I can’t just-”

“Wait, do you still have it?” Catching sight of Yellows’ expression, Blue’s mouth fell open. “How in Diamond’s name did you manage to hold on to it for so long?”

“I just folded it up really tiny and stuffed it in my shirt.” Yellow admitted. She had mostly forgotten about the creased letter, but now she could feel it pressing against her skin uncomfortably. “What was I supposed to do? I couldn't just leave it somewhere in the mines, it’s evidence about who we are!”

“I know, I know. I’m just glad you didn't lie to the council about it.” 

“I wouldn’t have, I’m not that stupid.” Blue gave her a sceptical look.

Thinking about the trial made her think about what had happened right before the trial, which was not something she usually tried to think about. She wondered if she should mention the fusion to Blue, but she decided against it. Better to bury that particular incident deep down and pretend it had never happened. 

Their conversation continued, and Yellow found herself getting lost in it. It was so _ easy _ to talk to Blue. Despite the fact that she was buried underground in the middle of a conditioning camp, she felt less alone than she had in months. She had no idea how long they sat there together, going on about this and that, but she didn't really care. It felt wonderful to talk so freely. And she liked looking at Blue Pearl, with her one shining eye, and her soft hair, and her thin lips. Liked making her laugh. 

Still, when the two of them heard the rumble of a homeworld drill from outside, it didn't feel like long enough. Blue Pearl pulled her hair back into her face the second she sensed the first sign of trouble, and as the drilling noise outside grew louder, the two Pearls scrambled to their feet. Yellow felt Blue take her hand, squeeze it hard, and then release it as the noise became so loud that Yellow felt it in her very bones. She mentally prepared herself for what was coming next- whatever was coming next- as the machine erupted through the dirty rock in front of her and slowed to a dreaded stop on the floor. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some characters are moved to drastic measures.

It was a kinda deja vu moment. This was the second time that a giant drill full of angry Amethysts had burst into an underground room to find Yellow and Blue Pearl. The difference between then and now, Yellow thought, was that this time, she was ready. This time, the attack didn't take her by surprise. Somehow, that felt strangely important- a victory in its own right, and Yellow clung to all the victories she could get. 

Four Amethysts disembarked from a door on the side of the drill, then the Fire Agate, then four more Amethysts. All had their weapons out. With a nod from the Agate, the Amethysts immediately circled Yellow and Blue. Upon confirming that they were unarmed and defenseless, the guards moved in. Two grabbed Yellow’s shoulders while a third tied her hands. When Yellow glanced sideways, she could see Blue getting the same rough treatment. Before Yellow could protest, or say anything at all, she was being marched onto the drill by two guards with scowls and very sharp fingernails that dug into her skin. 

The interior of the machine was made of cramped, dull metal, and illuminated with bright red lights. Yellow and Blue were harshly positioned between two guards apiece, each of whom held them still with vice-like grips on their arms as The Fire Agate ducked under the doorframe and entered the drill. She stopped in front of the captured Pearls and grinned at them viciously. Yellow got the clear impression that the Agate would not hesitate to kill them should the opportunity arise. 

“Well, that was easy.” The Fire Agate gloated.“That Jasper said that you were rouge and dangerous escape artists, but I don’t believe she knew what she was talking about. You’re so weak, it’s almost… disappointing.” Yellow kept her head down, knowing that it would just be worse if she took the bait, hoping that the worst thing the Agate would do to them was taunt.

But the Agate didn't want to pass up an opportunity as delicious as this. Without warning, she snached a whip from one of the Amethyst's hands and brought it swinging at Blue Pearl, faster than either of them could react. Yellow had barely realized what was happening before she heard a sharp  _ crack _ and looked over to see Blue with a bloody gash across her nose and cheek. 

“Blue!” Yellow gasped out before she could stop herself, squirming in the Amethyst's grip. The cut must've hurt, but Blue managed not to react. She just bowed her head and let the blood drip onto the floor. Yellow should’ve shut up, like she had- should have kept quiet, but she’d reacted on instinct, and now it was too late. The Fire Agate turned to Yellow with a smile, and she felt her stomach twist. She had accidentally given the Agate ammunition, and Yellow could see in her face that she was about to use it. 

“Don’t like that, do you?” She taunted, clearly happy to have just discovered a weakness. “Don’t like it when I do  _ this _ ?” And she cracked the whip at Blue again, hitting her on the forearm. Blue let out a little squeak of pain.

Yellow’s vision was turning red with rage. It took all of her self control to keep still and quiet. She felt herself shaking with the effort. This,  _ this _ was why it was so dangerous to care. This was why she kept to herself. This was why she pushed everyone away. Everyone except Blue, and now they were both about to pay for it. 

“Or how about this?” The Agate demanded, slicing Blue’s shoulder. Yellow saw Blue biting her lip, hard, holding back a scream, and suddenly Yellow had never hated anyone so much in her life as she hated the Fire Agate in that moment. She didn't just want her to stop. She wanted to grab that whip and turn it on her. She wanted to slice her up until she was screaming. She wanted to beat her until she was pleading for mercy, until she was just  _ begging _ to be shattered. But Yellow wouldn't do it. She’d keep her alive, because that’s what the Agate would've done to them. And Yellow would enjoy every drop of her pain, every tear, every whimper. It’d be what the Agate deserved, and Yellow would  _ enjoy _ it.

The Agate twirled the whip in her hands, laughing, and prepared to strike again. Yellow didn't think she could keep holding herself back if it continued like this. She was so angry, it was difficult to think straight. Fury and adrenaline pounded through her veins, blocking her throat, making her feel like she was floating. She wanted to bite off the Agate’s fingers. She wanted to reach out and rake her nails down Agates’ face until she drew blood.

Luckily, just as the Agate raised her whip again, a communicator in the pocket of her black pants let out a loud beeping sound. With an angry growl, the Agate pulled it out and held it to her ear.

“I’m kind of in the middle of something!” She shouted into it.

Someone on the other line said something that made her face go slack with shock and fear. Her tone shifted from angry into something wheedling, placating.

“Oh, it’s you! I’m so so- please accept my apologies, Jasper. I didn't realize- ” The Agate paused, listening. “Yes, yes of course. It won't happen again. Yes, we have them. We're just about to head back.” Jasper said something unintelligible. “Yes, ma’am. We’ll be there soon.”

The Agate snapped the communications device closed and scowled at the Pearls. “Count yourselves lucky.” She raised the whip threateningly one last time, causing Blue to flinch back, and then dropped it to the floor disgustedly. One of the Amethysts dove to pick it back up. “Keep an eye on them.” She ordered the four guards holding Yellow and Blue’s arms. “And unlock the Blue one.” A fifth guard stepped forward and used a small magnet to remove Blue’s anklet as the Agate turned to face the blinking screens and flashing lights at the front of the drill.

Except for the Agate barking her occasional orders, nobody said anything on the tilting ride back to the surface. The roaring of the drill kept everyone’s ears well occupied. Yellow and Blue, for their part, kept their heads down and tried not to draw attention to themselves. 

Finally, the loud sound of the rotating drill head dwindled into silence, and the machine leveled itself again. The Agate stomped over to the door and yanked it open, causing sunlight to cascade into its small, dimly lit interior. Yellow stared at it. She hadn't seen sunlight for so long. The Agate motioned for the Amethysts to follow her outside with the Pearls. Yellow wanted to feel the light on her skin so badly, but she closed her eyes as it hit her face. Had it always been this bright? She felt as though it might blind her. Even the pink shine that filtered through her eyelids seemed like it was strong enough to seriously damage her eyes. So instead of thinking about light, she focused on sucking in great mouthfuls of cool, dust-free air and revelling in how clean it tasted. She hadn't realized how much she had missed it in the mines. 

Yellow kept her eyes closed as the Amethysts dragged her over the rocky ground. She opened them as soon as she felt the cool kiss of shade on her face, but even then, the world felt too bright to look at. She squinted against the light as the Amethysts pulled her into a spacious, welcoming room inside one of the tall spires that dotted the base of the cliff. There, someone with brilliant yellow hair and a sparkly golden gem was waiting for them.

Yellow and Blue were roughly tossed to the floor in front of Jasper. The Fire Agate entered after them, closing the door behind her. The Amethysts lined up in a row against one of the back walls as Jasper surveyed her freshly caught quarry with smug pleasure.  
The Fire Agate approached her. “Are these the Pearls you asked for, Jasper?” She asked in a submissive, eager-to-please voice.

Jesper nodded. “These are them. The _ traitors _ .” She frowned as she saw the cuts on Blue Pearl’s face and arms. “I did tell you to bring them to me unharmed, Fire Agate.” Her tone turned angry, lethal. “Or did you forget that order?”

“No, ma’am!” The Fire Agate exclaimed, looking nervous. “The Blue one put up a struggle as we tried to grab her. The Amethyst had no choice but to use her weapon to defend herself.”

“Little Blue, huh?” Jasper walked up to Blue and crouched down so that the two of them were at eye level. “Didn't know she had it in her. No matter.” There was an unsettling amount of anger in Jasper’s eyes. Her voice got quiet. “She’ll be gone soon. They both will.” Chills ran down Yellow’s spine.

“Did they really betray the Diamonds?” The Fire Agate asked curiously as Jasper straightened. 

“They did. Nastly little rebels stole a valuable ship and took off.” 

“You know, we could have brought them in for you. You needn't have come.”

Jasper shook her head, eyes flashing. “I will be the one to bring them in. Their capture holds personal importance to me.” She turned to face the Fire Agate properly. “Your service has been valuable. You have done an excellent job bringing me what I asked for. You are dismissed.”

“Oh.” Said the Agate looking sort of put out. “Very well. But perhaps I-”

But her sentence was cut off when a very upset Blue Agate burst into the room. “Master, I have urgent news, I-” Her eyes widened at the scene before her: two Pearls, kneeling on the floor with their hands bound; a row of Amethysts flanking the back wall; A Fire Agate, rounding on her in fury; and a Jasper, snarling at the interruption. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, Master! But-” She hesitated, then rushed up to the furious Fire Agate. Before the Fire Agate could order her out, the Blue Agate whispered something in her ear.  
The Fire Agate’s face went slack with shock. She rounded on her blue sister in horror. “What? It’s not possible!”

Looking pale, Blue Agate leaned in and whispered some more while the entire room watched them curiously.

“But what about the trackers? And how did they get in?” The Fire Agate demanded. Yellow couldn't tell if she looked more furious or panicked.

“Is there a problem?” Jasper asked, glancing cooly between the two Agates.

The Fire Agate’s eyes widened. “Oh, no problem, no problem at all. Don’t worry about a thing, ma’am. Everything’s under control.” She said, sounding like things had gotten very out of control. “Um, am I dismissed? Ma’am?”

“Go.” Jasper told her.

Both Agates practically sprinted out of the room. The wall of Amethysts remained.

Jasper approached the two Pearls. Yellow stared at a spot of floor right beneath her, refusing to give Jasper the satisfaction of seeing her face.

“So.” Jasper began, her voice quiet. “You thought you could escape by joining a conditioning camp. Going back into the system.” She snorted. “Nice try. It wasn't even difficult to find you in their database.” 

Jasper was silent for a few seconds. Yellow stared at her bit of floor, willing herself not to shake. She could practically sense Jasper hovering above her, sense the waves of cold fury that she was pushing into the room. Jasper was acting calm, but not normal calm. Scary calm. Dangerous calm.

And then, without warning, Yellow heard her scream. “LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME, YOU CLODS, YOU PIECES OF FILTH!” One of Jasper’s hands swooped down and closed around Yellow’s neck. Jasper forced Yellow’s chin up until she was staring right into Jasper’s proud eyes, which were dancing with an insane rage. “YOU ALMOST RUINED ME!” She shouted, spittle flying from her lips. “DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE TO ME IF THEY KNEW THAT I’D LET YOU GET AWAY? IF THEY FOUND OUT THAT A JASPER HAD LOST TO TWO MEASLY, TRAITOROUS  _ PEARLS _ ?”

Oh. So that’s why Jasper hadn’t reported their escape to the Diamonds. She was afraid of admitting that she’d failed to capture them. Yellow had never considered that Jasper might face any consequences for their flight, but now she thought about it, she realized the impossible situation they must have placed Jasper in. Jasper couldn't tell the truth about the Pearls’ escape without admitting her own, personal failure. For some reason, Yellow couldn't bring herself to feel very bad about that.

“But this time.” Jasper continued, dropping her voice to a snarl. “This time, I’m gonna get you good and proper. No one will be able to blame me then.” The idea of a grin touched her face, and in that moment she looked positively unhinged. “I’ll ruin you like you tried to ruin me.”

Ice cold fear swirled in Yellow’s stomach as Jasper’s tight fingers released her head. Jasper herself straightened and turned to look over the row of waiting Amethysts. “Take them to the ship.” She ordered shortly, before she whirled around and walked out the door without a backwards glance. 

Two Amethysts appeared on either side of Yellow and seized her arms. Without hesitation, they dragged Yellow outside after Jasper, closely followed by two guards holding onto Blue. 

Yellow’s eyes had adjusted enough to the light that they only barely hurt when she opened them outside. And she was glad of it, because when she looked over the camp, a very bizarre scene met her gaze. Every Amethyst in the place, it seemed, was rushing at the entrance to the mines, weapons drawn, poised for a fight. There must have been hundreds of them, surging forwards towards the cliffside- except that not all of them were making it there.  _ Things _ kept flying out of the tunnel mouth, things that landed in the seething mass of Amethysts and exploded violently, poofing dozens of them at a time. _ Oh my Diamond _ . Yellow realized.  _ The anklets. _

The Amethysts that somehow avoided the trackers-turned-projectile-bombs and managed to get to the mine vanished out of sight, but some sort of battle seemed to be happening in there, because Yellow could hear the shouting, and the clashing of metal, and the  _ shing _ sound of weapons being summoned. 

The Fire Agate was standing, horror struck, just out of range of the impromptu explosives. The Blue Agate stood next to her, looking panicked. Yellow heard her shouting, “...seems they had outside help…” She was temporarily drowned out by another explosion. “...using their trackers as weapons, ma’am, and a few of them can even fight!”

The Fire Agate swore loudly. “How are our troops doing?”

Yellow didn't catch the Blue Agate’s answer, though, because the Amethysts had dragged her out of earshot. They were still following Jasper, who was walking past all the chaos around her like it didn't even exist, making a beeline for a silver ship on the edge of the fighting. It was smaller than the Munly, but larger than a Ruby’s roaming eye ship. It sat off the ground, perched on three stick-like supports. A gangplank extended from it’s already open door, reminding Yellow uncomfortably of a tongue, ready to lick them up and swallow them.

The Amethysts holding on to Yellow and Blue walked as fast as they could in a valiant effort to avoid fighting, but fortunately, they failed. About halfway to the ship, a very powerfully-thrown bomb sailed past the hordes of Amethysts fighters and bounced to a rest right in front of their six-gem procession. It was beeping at a worryingly fast pace that suggested it was susceptible to explode any time in the near future. The Amethysts on either side of Yellow froze, uncertain of what to do, wanting to run but not to disobey orders. In the end, their survival instinct won out. They had barely lugged Yellow three steps away from the explosive when it went off with a very familiar sounding  _ boom _ that sent the whole party flying. 

Yellow landed in the dirt right next to the ship, her ears ringing, her whole body aching with the sudden impact. Again, she felt the breath leave her lungs, felt her eyes squeeze shut on instinct- but this time, the imminent danger of her situation wouldn't let her wait for her body to recover. She leapt to her feet as soon as she could feel them again, heart pounding, senses on high alert for any incoming threat. She spotted Blue Pearl about ten paces to her left, also staggering to her feet. The Amethysts who had grabbed her were scattered around the battlefield, groaning and trying to stand. Jasper herself was on the ground near them, looking slightly dazed. She, too, must have been bowled over by the blast, despite being ahead of them when it happened. Because they were lighter, the Pearls seemed to have been flung further than the larger gems had. 

Despite the dizziness in her head, Yellow was acutely aware that she had to find cover, or she’d just be caught all over again. She was too far away from the heart of the battle to get there in time to lose Jasper. Desperate, she glanced around, but the only other viable option was the ship- Jasper’s ship.

Dazed, Yellow dashed towards it, tripping over her own feet as she went, awkward and gangly. She turned halfway there, remembering Blue, but Blue was already stumbling along at her shoulder. Falling over themselves, the two of them sprinted up the gangplank and into the cool darkness of the ship. They made it just in time, too. The moment they ducked behind the doorway, a roar so furious it could belong to nobody but Jasper echoed from outside.

“Search everywhere!” Yellow heard her shout, probably to the unfortunate Amethysts. “Find them, at all costs!”

Yellow turned, shaking. The interior of the ship was white and rectangular, lit by cool blue lights that shone from the ceiling. By the front of it, a large ring of solid white benches encircled the control panel and captains’ chair. Yellow and Blue stumbled to the benches and sank to the floor behind them, keeping low and positioning themselves carefully so they couldn't be seen from the doorway. Neither said anything for a moment. Yellow’s lungs were heaving and she felt as though she might be sick, but she forced herself to pull it together. This wasn't over yet.

“We’re not safe here.” Blue panted next to her. Her bangs hung over her eye, so it was difficult to read her expression, but Yellow didn't need to. She could hear the fear in her voice. “It won’t be long before, before they think to look on the ship.” Blue’s face and arms still carried the gashes from the Fire Agate’s whip, but they had stopped bleeding, at least.

“So what- what do we do?” Yellow’s words came out in great, uneven gasps. 

Blue shook her head as if trying to clear it. “There’s nowhere to hide.” She breathed. “And they’ll grab us the second we step off the ship. We’d never even make it to the battle.”

Blue was right. Yellow knew she was. She didn't want to say it, though. For a moment, it was quiet, save for the sound of their noisy breathing.   
Finally, Yellow spoke. “We’re gonna have to fight.” She realized dully.

“We’ll never win.” Blue immediately replied. Both of them were beginning to recover from the shock of the bomb; Yellow felt her head clearing and it was becoming easier to inhale. “I can’t fight off six Amythists and a Jasper at the same time.”  
“And I couldn't even fight off one Amythist. But we've no other option, Blue. It’s either fight or get caught trying to run.” Yellow whispered.

“We’ll die, Yellow. There has to be a better way. We could- we could-” Blue struggled, but came up empty. She opened and closed her mouth, looking desperate. Yellow’s head hurt. Blue didn’t deserve to die. 

“I could try distracting them while you run.” Yellow suggested. The words felt thick in her mouth, but she meant them. “You’d have a better shot at getting away.”

Blue looked up at her, shocked. “No! I won’t leave you here-”  
“You and I both know that it’s one of us or both of us.” Yellow hissed at her, suddenly irritated by her morality. She was only making this more difficult. Yellow had a plan now, a way to win at least a partial victory- it had to be enough. “This way, you have a better chance.”

Blue shook her head. “I won’t. There  _ has _ to be a way.”

“You’re such an idealist, Blue, but this time, there is no other way! Both our strength combined isn't enough to fight our way out, so one of us may as well survive. And it should be you.” 

It  _ should _ be Blue that lived. Blue was stronger than her, better than her. Kinder than her. She could help people, Yellow felt sure. Change things. Fix things. She was good, and she was clever, and Yellow didn't want her dead. Blue would continue to live. Blue  _ had _ to continue to live. The alternative was that they both died together. Or Yellow would live, and Blue wouldn't. That was unacceptable, too. Blue gone, and Yellow still there. Every breath she took would feel stolen. Guilt and grief would eat away at her until there was nothing left. No.  _ No _ . It had to be Blue that got away.

It was quite ironic, really. Her whole life, Yellow had tried her very best not care about anybody or anything, because she  _ knew _ that friends got you killed, or you got them killed. She  _ knew _ that feelings made you weak and soft, made you do stupid things that you wouldn’t normaly do. But she hadn't followed her own rules, and now look where she was. About to sacrifice herself to save someone else. Prioritizing someone else's life above her own. The thing she had spent her entire existence avoiding for this  _ exact reason _ was  _ literally _ about to kill her. And she was going to let it. 

Blue might not, though. “Yellow-” she started angrily “-you're absolutely crazy if you think there’s  _ any _ way I’m going to let you-” 

Abruptly, she stopped, an idea occurring to her. Yellow could practically see a little lightbulb turn on in her head. “Wait, wait, what did you just say?” She excitedly asked Yellow.

“Blue, don’t try to change the-”

“No, shush, listen! You said ‘both our strength combined’! Yellow!”

Yellow realized what Blue was suggesting before she had to say it. “Fusion?”

Blue went a bit pink, but nodded. “They’re stronger than normal gems. If we- you know- we could maybe-” She faltered, but voice was hopeful. Yellow though of the fusion they had formed in the courtroom, how  _ powerful _ she had seemed. 

“It could work.” She said slowly. “It could definitely work. The only problem is, we don’t know how. There’s not exactly an instruction manual.”

“We’ve done it before.” Blue remembered. “So we know we can. But-”  
Yellow saw the shadow behind the bench a second before it struck. Jasper brought a fist the size of Yellow’s head smashing down on the pair of them as Yellow screamed and dove into Blue, barely getting them both out of the way in time. Yellow and Blue scrambled off the floor as Jasper leapt up and swung at them again, missing Yellow’s face by a hair’s breadth. 

Jasper summoned her weapon- A gleaming red helmet that was useful for smashing skulls- and dove at them. Yellow grabbed Blue’s hand and ran for the exit as fast as she could, heart pounding, brain kicking back into survival mode. They made it outside and dove off the side of the gangplank, rolling on the hard-packed dirt as Jasper came barreling out at full speed.

“Fuse! Yellow shouted as they scrambled to their feet. Jasper hurled into the dirt at the end of the gangplank, drawing the attention of several angry looking Amethysts, who started running towards them. “Fuse now!”

“How?” Blue responded, looking just a panicked as Yellow felt.

Yellow tried to remember how it had gone the first time. Desperately, she wrapped her arms around Blue and pulled her close. She was warm and soft and shaking as she returned the hug, tucking her head into Yellow’s neck and putting her arms around Yellow’s back. Blue’s hair tickled her face and Yellow could feel the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Yellow squeezed her eyes shut. The rest of the world seemed to fade away for a second- it was just her and Blue, alone in their little bubble.

“I think we’re supposed to spin.” Blue whispered to Yellow, and as she said it, Yellow knew she was right. She didn't know  _ how _ she knew, exactly, but she did. She felt it in her gut. 

Yellow lifted Blue up and began to twirl. She spun her around and around until Blue’s feet were flying out behind her and she felt herself getting so dizzy she didn't know up from down. Yellow spun her until Blue- somehow, impossibly- let out a giddy, slightly crazy laugh.

That must have been what did it, because suddenly, Yellow felt warm and tingly all over, and then she was different, though at first, she couldn't quite say how. She wasn't herself anymore, or she was, but she was more than that. She was better. Stronger. More complete. 

And she had  _ killer _ reflexes. The moment she fused, she sensed Jasper bareling at her, helmet on, seconds away from a collision. Somehow, she managed to backflip out of the way and catch herself gracefully on her hands. Four hands, not two. But for some reason, having extra limbs didn't feel odd at all. It felt natural. Like she had always been this way. When she looked down at her arms, she could see that they had become a deep, gorgeous green. She noticed that her vision had changed, too- it was clearer, broader, than it had been. 

She sprang back to her feet, rolled her shoulders, and reached up to her gem- no,  _ gems _ \- to summon her weapon. A spectacular green trident appeared in her hand. It’s handle felt like it had been molded just for her palm, and swinging it felt as natural as breathing. Before Jasper got the opportunity to catch her unprepared again, the Fusion turned to face her.

Jasper seemed much shorter than she had been before. It took the Fusion a second to realize that Jasper hadn't shrank, but that she herself had grown. It felt good, the height and strength, but the angry look of horror on Jasper’s face told her that Jasper didn't exactly approve.

“Cowards!” She howled. “Fusion is just a cheap tactic to make weak gems stronger! Unfuse and face me yourselfs, you clods!” 

Jasper was baiting her, and the Fusion wasn't going to fall for it. She smiled, sensing Jasper's fear of her, of what she could do. She felt _ powerful _ . 

“No.” She sound out, enjoying the taste of the word on her tongue. Jasper’s eyes widened as she sensed her opponents’ confidence. The Fusion lofted her weapon and attacked. 

Jasper dogged her first strike, but the Fusion kept coming, refusing to let Jasper rest long enough to take up the offensive again. Again and again, she lunged with the trident, taking advantage of it’s long reach and sharp tip, forcing Jasper into elaborate ducks, rolls and jumps to avoid it. Jasper was powerful, but not necessarily agile. The Fusion pushed this edge, out-maneuvering her in every way she could.

This strategy was working perfectly well until three Amethysts arrived on the scene. The fusion was forced to take her attention off of Jasper to block their attacks, which provided Jasper the opportunity she needed to leap to her feet. As the Fusion agiley stabbed at and poofed one of the Amethysts, Jasper rushed her, head lowered like a battering ram. She couldn't get out of the way fast enough, and Jaspers hard helmet collided with her side as she tried to sidestep. The force of it sent her flying. She landed in the dirt a ways away, dust rising from the ground at her impact. She scrambled to her feet again the second she could. Her ribs hurt, but there was no time to dwell on than now. She had a battle to win.

Japer was rushing her again, but this time, she was able to leap out of the way before she was bowled over. While Jasper skidded to a stop and re-angled herself, the Fusion turned to face the oncoming Amethysts. Only five of them now, the sixth already poofed and lying in the dirt somewhere. They lashed their whips at her, doing their best to ensnare her or her weapon, but the Fusion managed to dodge or block every attack. She heard Jasper rushing up behind her, ready to ram her again, but the Fusion leapt into the air just in time to avoid the attack. Instead, Jasper collided with the Amethysts, knocking them over like a bunch bowling pins and sending them sprawling. The Fusion landed gracefully on the ground, and, with two quick jabs of her trident, poofed two Amethysts before they could rise.

It was incredible, really. The Fusion- who decided to call herself  _ Green Pearl  _ because she was, well, green- was as graceful as a winged Lapis Lazuli, making the fight look more like a fast-paced dance. She dogged, she struck, she blocked with one pair of arms while she attacked with the other. She already knew how to wield a trident- that was the Blue in her- and Yellow’s influence aided her excellent strategy and instinct. Fighting felt as natural as breathing.

It was easy enough to take care of the Amethysts- before long, their purple gems lay scattered on the ground at Green’s feet- but Jasper was trickier. Jasper was a force all her own. She had received years of training and saw battle on a regular basis. She was forceful but strategic, and landed several powerful blows before Green had to opportunity to leap out of reach.

As she fought, Green kept baiting Jasper away from the riot going on beside her. She didn’t want to deal with any Amethysts who might attack if Jasper gave the order, although admittedly, the Amethysts did seem a bit too preoccupied to be worried about them. The Pearls in the mines had started to bring the battle outdoors, and every Amethyst who hadn’t been poofed in the earlier explosions had her hands full trying to fend off the hordes of gems spilling onto the battlefield. Many of them were rebels with fighting experience. Others were just exceptionally brave, or perhaps exceptionally stupid. Out of the corner of her eye, Green saw angry looking Pearls running at groups of Amethysts with their pickaxes raised above their heads, or Pearls armed with rocks that they chucked at every flash of purple they saw. And it wasn’t just Pearls. Green noticed at least one Onyx, Topaz, and Ruby fighting alongside the hoard of rebels. She also spotted the Fire Agate in the middle of it all, screaming orders, fending off the countless Pearls that were targeting her, practically foaming at the mouth with fury as they found all sorts of creative ways to attack. _ They remember what she did. _ Green thought.  _ They remember that she killed one of their own. _

_ Wham!  _ Jasper’s helmet slammed into Green’s side, rudely bringing her focus back to her own battle. Green skidded across the dirt, but rose to her feet before Jasper had the chance to catch her with her guard down. Jasper lunged, but she dodged, taking the opportunity to stab at Jasper’s heart. Jasper dove to the side, but not fast enough to save herself completely- when she straightened, there was another ugly scratch on her ribs. She growled and ran again, only to be forced into an elaborate whirl as Green swiped at her neck. But Jasper saw an opening, and grabbed the center prong of Green’s trident before Green could re-orient herself for another swing. Jasper swung it over her head in and arc, dragging Green along with it. Green smashed into the ground, sending the reddish dirt and dust around her flying. Not letting herself pause long enough to even feel the pain of the hit, she yanked her weapon back from Jasper and leapt to her feet. 

She heard a roar from the battlefield behind her, but this time, she didn't turn. She fixed her eyes to Jasper, refusing to let her force Green back into the defensive. She lunged at her, trident outstretched, but Jasper swung at her head, forcing her into a roll. She used it to her advantage, though, and took the opportunity to slice Jasper’s calf open as she passed it. 

Jasper roared with fury. She whirled to Green, who sprang back into a standing position. She could see the way Jasper looked at her- could see the pure madness in her eyes.

_ Aha _ . Green thought.  _ We got her _ . 

Jasper lowered her head and ran at them in one of her fastest, fiercest attacks yet. She was getting frustrated and reckless, and Green planned to take advantage of it. 

She had no time to dodge, but she didn't plan to. She let Jasper get as close as possible before she leapt up, onto Jasper’s back, which she used as a springboard to get her even higher. Time seemed to slow down as midair, she twisted her body around and angled her spear downwards, taking aim. Jasper was already out of her trident’s reach, but that was okay. Green pulled her arm back and, with a quick, fierce throw that she put her whole body into, hurled the weapon at the still-running Jasper’s back.

She couldn’t see if it hit, though, because time sped up again, and Green felt herself beginning to fall back to the ground. She twisted herself around as the dirt rushed up to meet her, somehow managing to land smoothly on her feet. As soon as she was steady, Green scanned the area for her opponent, and caught sight of her lying in a crumpled heap on her stomach a few units away. The end of the trident stuck out of her lower spine, marking the place where she lay.

Green approached her slowly, cautiously, refusing to let her guard down in case Jasper was playing some kind of trick on her. But the closer she got, the more sure she was that Jasper was really down. She saw Jasper try to get her arms under her and push herself to her feet, but she could barely lift her torso an inch before she collapsed again, groaning. It was sad to watch, really. 

Once she got close enough to do so, Green reached over and yanked the trident out of Jasper’s back, where it had embedded itself almost all the way up to the shaft. Jasper screamed in pain, and with a considerable amount of effort, managed to roll herself onto her back, where she lay, gasping and panting. Green Pearl walked over to her head and crouched down, looking Jasper squarely in her face. 

“My legs-” Jasper choked out. “I can’t- I can’t move-” She glared up at Green, and her face filled with a desperate rage. “What did you DO! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!” Her voice was raw and agonized and furious. Spittle flew out of her mouth, and tears leaked from her eyes. She looked positively pitiful.

Green shook her head. She had expected to feel more victorious, honestly. She had expected to feel triumphant and powerful and elated, but looking down at Jasper’s streaming face, she just felt kind of empty.

“I’ll make this quick.” She told Jasper, raising her already bloody trident.

“Wait!” Jasper screamed. Green paused, listening. “Shatter me.” Jasper panted. “Shatter me before the Diamonds do. Please.” She begged, sounding strangled. Her eyes were wide and her voice was choked with tears. “Please. It’ll be worse… worse if it’s them.”

Green hesitated, then nodded so that Jasper could see her. “I will.”

“Thank you.” Jasper breathed. She lifted her left arm and lay it on her chest, palm resting on her heart, so that Green could see her gem- a small yellowy orange thing centered on the back of her meaty hand. 

Jasper closed her eyes, tears still streaming from them, as Green raised her weapon, taking careful aim.

“Feel better soon.” Green whispered. 

She brought the trident down.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our characters have some long overdue conversations.

Green walked away from Jasper’s gem shards, which she had placed in the cool shade of her ship. It had seemed unnecessarily cruel to leave her lying where she had died.

She was heading towards the other, much larger battlefield, which was less of a battlefield now so much as a mass of exhausted-looking Pearls. There wasn’t an Amethyst in sight- or at least, not one in her physical form. Hundreds of Amethyst gems littered the ground, making the reddish dirt sparkle purple in the sun.

As Green got closer, she saw that the majority of the Pearls were standing in a wide circle, cheering and booing at something taking place in its center. A fight? Green walked faster. Upon reaching the edge of the crowd, she craned her neck and peered over the sea of colorful heads to the spectacle beyond them.

The Fire Agate lay on her back, pinned to the ground. Four Pearls held her down- one for each limb. A fifth Pearl was approaching her slowly, leisurely, twirling a golden spear with easy grace. Coal. 

_ Coal? _ Asked a voice in her head.  _ Who’s Coal?  _

_ That's right.  _ Green remembered. _ Blue didn't know Coal.  _ And suddenly she remembered that she was still a fusion, even though she no longer had any reason to be. She hesitated, knowing she should probably unfuse, but really, really not wanting to. 

Still, better to unfuse before someone caught her like this. With a sigh, she let go, let the two parts of herself separate out, and Yellow felt herself slip back into the body she was used to. Shorter, fewer arms, more… yellow. She immediately felt a sense of loss. Being Green was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. 

Yellow opened her eyes, only to find her vision obscured by a mess of fine blue hair. Her face was pressed into Blue’s shoulder and her hands rested on Blue’s back, while Blue’s arms circled her neck. Yellow could hear Blue’s heartbeat pound, pound, pounding away against her chest as they both settled back into themselves. Yellow felt her face heat up. She almost pushed Blue away, but thought better of it. They had just fused. What was a hug, after that? Besides. It felt nice. 

“We did it.” Blue whispered to her, squeezing her shoulders. She clearly had none of the same qualms about the contact. “We really did it.”

And yes, they really had done it. Despite the odds. Despite their opponents. Yellow felt an overwhelming rush as the relief that had been hovering at the edges of her conscious hit her like a train. They were  _ safe _ . How extraordinary.

“Yes.” Yellow breathed. She let herself enjoy the hug for a second longer before detangling herself from Blue, blushing redder than a Ruby. “Come on, let’s go watch.” Looking determinedly away, she grabbed Blue’s hand and tugged her towards the front of the crowd. It was a bit disorienting to move, Yellow noticed. She felt like she should have another pair of hands sprouting from her shoulders, should be tall enough to see what was happening in the ring. 

“Who’s Coal?” Blue asked as they took their place among the hushed Pearls.

“A rebel Pearl I met at the base.” Yellow told her, quietly enough that the murmur of the crowd kept her words from carrying.

“What kind of name is Coal?” 

“That’s what I said!” 

In the ring, Coal herself stood in front of the Fire Agate, hip cocked to one side, an expression of disgust on her face. She was speaking to the Agate, but pitching her voice loud enough that all of the spectators could hear. 

“...only what you deserve.” Yellow caught her saying.  
The Fire Agate squirmed, but her four captors held her fast. “That’s ridiculous!” She shouted. “Why am_ I _being punished for following the natural order!”

“It it the natural order, Agate? Because it looks to me like you’ve been _ beaten _ by a bunch of Pearls _ . _ ” Coal taunted and the crowd cheered, delighted. Coal couldn't see the Agate, of course, but the grin playing at the corners of her mouth made it clear to everyone that she didn't need sight to manage this brute of a gem.

The Agate growled angrily. “I’ll get you eventually! I’ll kill you! Wherever you clods go, I’ll find you and I’ll shatter you!” 

“See, that’s the thing.” Coal said, “You won’t really get the chance, when we’re done with you.” 

“What, you’d shatter me?” The Agate’s lips peeled back in disgust. “You wouldn't dare.”

And Coal absolutely lost it. “YOU KILLED MY FRIEND!” She screamed, spit flying from her lips, blank eyes flashing. Yellow knew she must be talking about Roe. “SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU, AND YOU KILLED HER!” The entire crowd was quiet, watching, but Yellow could sense their bloodthirst. It radiated off them in waves.

“You killed her.” Coal repeated, voice suddenly quiet. Deadly quiet. “So now I get to kill you.” Her words carried despite her quiet tone, and a wicked smile appeared on her face. 

“Stop!” The Agate yelped as Coal placed the spear on her belly. “I command you to stop!” But Coal just smiled wider. One of the gems holding the struggling Agate reached out and moved the point of Coal’s spear to the place in between the Agates’ collarbones, where it rested on her brilliantly red gem. “I’ll give you anything!” The Agate begged, struggling harder than ever. “I’ll let you out of here! I’ll leave you alone! You can’t do this, you CAN’T do this, IF YOU DO THIS I’LL KILL YOU!”

“What was it you said earlier?” Coal asked her. “Oh, yes.” 

Coal turned to address the watching crowd, all of whom were practically frothing at the mouth, howling for the Agate’s death. Coal’s blank eyes sparkled, and for a moment, she looked like an entirely different gem. 

“Her existence is so pathetic that she does the universe a disservice just by being alive.” Coal quoted, twisting the Fire Agate’s previous words around in her mouth and spitting them back out as ironic echoes of their original meaning. The Agate roared and struggled, but was held firm. Yellow felt a little sick. She knew exactly what was going to come out of Coal’s mouth next, and what would happen after. 

“And so…”  _ I will put her out of her misery. _ Yellow recalled how scared Roe had looked, right before she’d died. A little like the Fire Agate looked now. Roe hadn’t screamed, though. Hadn't thrashed or plead. “I will put her out of her misery.” 

For a split second, Yellow was back in front of that wicked metal platform, watching the Fire Agate raise her hammer above Roe’s trembling form. But the audience’s roar of approval brought her back to the present, and now it was the Fire Agate on the ground and Coal standing over her, face alight with wicked enjoyment. Yellow’s breath caught- this was wrong, this was wrong, this was like watching Roe die all over again- but then she remembered the whip and the drill and the way the Agate had murdered Roe with that smirk on her face. Like she’d  _ enjoyed _ it. And Yellow found herself thinking,  _ she deserves this. _

Without a second’s hesitation, Coal pushed her spear downwards. Yellow looked at the ground as the sickening crack was drowned out by the wild cheering from the surrounding Pearls. 

The crowd began to converge on Coal, hoisting her into the air as Yellow swayed on her feet. Some went for the shattered pieces of the Agate that now scattered the ground, scooping them up and throwing them back down, breaking them into smaller pieces, intentionally crushing them under their feet.

Yellow and Blue stood next to each other in the chaos. Yellow had never let go of Blue’s hand, and now she was glad of it. 

“Yellow! HEY, YELLOW!” Yellow snapped herself out of it and turned at the sound of her name. She was surprised to see Lean elbowing her way through the crowd, waving at her. 

“Lean!” Yellow shouted back, and began pushing her way towards the Topaz, tugging Blue along with her. As more and more Pearls rushed towards Coal, the surrounding chaos cleared, and by the time Lean reached them, the area was much emptier. Before Yellow could say or do anything, Lean immediately swept both Yellow and Blue up into the biggest, most bone-cracking bear hug Yellow had ever experienced. Her ribs ached, and her many bruises and scrapes did not thank her, but still. It was nice to be hugged. 

“It’s so great to see you, Yellow!” Lean said happily when she’d finally released the two of them. Her pale yellow skin was drenched in sweat, and she, too, was covered in bruises and scrapes, but Yellow couldn't spot any serious injuries on her. “And little Blue! Nice to finally meet you!”

“Um… nice to meet you too?” Blue said uncertainty.

“You don’t know me, of course. But I saw you two taking down that Jasper together- wow! Truly amazing. And what a beautiful fusion!” Lean said excitedly, making both Pearls turn red. Yellow bit her lip. Lean had _ seen  _ them? That was… humiliating. Maybe it should've been more  _ worrying, _ but Lean’s reaction was so overwhelmingly positive, Yellow got the feeling that it wasn't really much of a threat. An embarrassment? Well, that was a different matter.

“Lean, how are you _here_?” Yellow asked, steering the topic towards the more important matter. “Did you have a hand to play in-” Yellow gestured around her, unsure how to describe the mess on the battlefield. “-all _this_?”  
“I sure did!” Lean exclaimed, swelling proudly. “There were very few who escaped the night you two were captured, but Topes and I were two of them. We went to one of our other bases right away, and-”  
“Wait, other bases?” Yellow broke in.

“What, you didn't think all of us were just hanging out in one place?” Lean asked, snorting. “Nah, we got a whole network. But I’m not sure how much I should say about that.” She cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Anyway, we started planning a rescue attempt once we realized that all our Pearls had been dragged to a conditioning camp. Everyone who knew Roe was all for it.” 

Lean bowed her head and suddenly looked awfully sad- someone must’ve already told her about what had happened. Her lips pressed together tight and she stared at a dark spot on the ground, as if trying not to cry. As the silence stretched, Yellow’s discomfort increased. She felt like she should say something, but what? She had no experience with this kind of thing. Comforting. Consoling. It was all forign to her. But she couldn't bear to see Lean’s sunny face curdled with all of the upset, so she had to at least make an attempt. “Lean.” Yellow tried, unable to take the muted quiet anymore. “I’m so sorry.” 

“Not your fault.” Lean responded gruffly. 

“I had the pleasure of getting to meet her before she died.” Blue mentioned carefully, surprising both her listeners. “She seemed lovely.” 

“She was.” Lean said. She looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment. “I appreciate that, little Blue. And I hear she died fighting, so that's good. She had spirit, that one.”

Lean was quiet for another moment. Yellow had never seen the big gem so heartbroken before. It seemed wrong, somehow. Lean was supposed to be happy. It’s just who she was.

She snapped out of it, though, when she spotted Coal. “Hey, there’s Coal! HEY! COAL! OVER HERE!” Lean didn't bother waving at Coal, because, of course, she wouldn't be able to see them, but Lean’s shouting managed to catch her attention anyhow. Grinning, Coal started making a beeline for them. 

“I just got away.” Coal informed Lean as she reached them. Yellow was very relieved that they were done talking about Roe. “Bunch of random Pearls, hoisting me up in the air, what are they playing at? Nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Lean snorted. “Don’t know what you expected, Coal. You’re a hero to them, after all. Can’t expect them to  _ not _ love you.” Lean’s eyes widened as she remembered to mention the obvious. “Oh! Coal, Yellow is here, And her friend Blue, too.”

“Hey, Coal.” Yellow said, grinning at the black gem.

“Yellow.” Coal responded, signature smirk gracing her face. “Thought you might be around here somewhere. Did either of you get to smash any Amethysts?”

“No, actually.” Lean broke in, answering for Yellow. “They were off fighting a Jasper the whole time.”

“What Jasper?” Coal asked sharply, immediately on alert. “Is she dead?” 

“The one from Lumecia.” Yellow explained. “Remember, the one we had to escape from? Yeah, she followed us here. She really,  _ really _ wanted us shattered.”

“And you took care of her?”

Yellow nodded, then remembered Coal couldn't see her. “We shattered her. She’s gone.”

Coal let out a low whistle. “Not gonna lie, that’s pretty impressive.”

“It_ was_ very impressive!” Lean said excitedly. “They fused and formed this awesome giant green Pearl-”  
“You fused, huh?” Coal asked, raising an eyebrow. “Well, well, well. Didn't know you had it in you, Yellow.”  
“Shut it, Coal.” Yellow really wished they could stop talking about the fusion. 

“- with four arms, and three eyes, and it was awesome.” Lean finished. She turned to Blue. “Little Blue, I didn't know you were hiding one eye under all that hair!”

Yellow felt her heart stop in her chest and her mouth go drier than a desert. Oh Diamonds. This was bad. This was bad. This was… how was this  _ possible _ ? How did Lean find out? Had she told anyone else? What was going to happen to them? Could they deny it? Was it too late for that? Oh, this was  _ bad _ . Yellow looked over at Blue, who was in a similar state of horrified shock. Her skin had paled and her mouth hung open. She’d stepped back in fright and was shaking all over, terrified. Yellow grabbed her arm protectively. 

“Wha- how did you-” Yellow managed to sputter, surprise making her fumble with her tongue.  _ Get it together _ , she told herself.  _ Don’t make it worse, don’t admit to anything- _

Lean looked extremely concerned at their reaction. Her eyebrows pinched together and she tilted her head questioningly. She clearly hadn't been expecting this. “Most fusions usually have the same number of eyes as their individual gems combined, and yours had three.” Lean explained. Her face fell. “Was I not supposed to know?”

Blue grabbed onto Yellow’s arm with both hands. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to find something to say. “I just, I just try- try not to tell most people-” 

“One eye, huh?” Coal broke in with interest. Blue whirled to face her. “Join the club, sister. I’ve got zero eyes, but we manage, don’t we?”

“Technically, you still  _ have _ two eyes, you just can’t… use them…” Lean’s voice faltered as Coal pointed a death glare in her general direction that was so powerful it could probably stop a spaceship going at lightspeed.

“Shut up, Lean.” 

“Yes ma’am.” Lean turned to Blue, who was practically hiding behind Yellow, looking shell-shocked and terrified. She was holding on to Yellow with a grip that was slowly cutting off all the circulation in her arm, but Yellow wasn't about to shake her off. “You know it's okay, right?” Lean asked Blue gently. Yellow had the feeling that this wasn't the first time Lean had given this talk to some poor defect gem. “I mean, we’re a bunch of rebels, we don’t care how many eyes you have.” 

Yellow felt a massive weight lift off her own shoulders, but Blue just nodded shakily and didn't let go of Yellow’s arm. 

“You don’t have to hide it here, if you don’t want to.”

“I-” Blue squeaked out, tucking herself further behind Yellow. “I-”

“We don’t have to do anything now.” Yellow broke in. “Besides, Lean” She turned to the big gem, desperate to take the focus off of Blue. “You were telling us about what happened here.” 

“Ohh, yes.” Lean remembered, taking Yellow’s cue to move on. Lean may be cheerful and blunt, but she wasn't tactless. Blue’s grip on Yellow’s relaxed a bit. “Yeah, those of us that got out of the camp got resources from another base and set out to rescue everyone. A few parties went to other places- shattering centers, holding facilities, ya’know- but about a quarter came here. We painted ourselves purple, put on a bunch of armour, and snuck into the mines at night, disguised as Amethysts. It was too dark for the guards to tell what we  _ really _ were. This place actually has pretty terrible security for anyone that isn't a Pearl. Anyways, we found Coal once we got in, and we provided her- and the others- the inspiration and means for a riot.” 

“Bolt cutters.” Coal explained. “They brought loads of them, and suddenly the anklets weren't a problem anymore.” She grinned. “In fact, they were a  _ solution. _ ”

“We figured out we could use them as bombs pretty quickly.” Lean elaborated. “Once we did that, it was easy enough to convince the rest of the Pearls to help us out.”

“They were surprisingly bloodthirsty once they got the opportunity to be.” Coal said happily. 

Yellow looked around at the field of Pearls. Some- probably mostly rebels- were wandering around, picking up the Amethysts and slipping them into bags. Others were cheering, hugging their friends, looking up to feel the midday sun on their face, or inhaling the fresh air with an expression of wonder. “Where are all of them going to go?”

“Most of them will probably come with us.” Lean said, also surveying the newly freed gems. “We’ve already notified our friends off-world that we’ve successfully freed the whole camp. They’ll be sending ships to pick everyone up soon.” 

“And the ones that don’t come with you?” Yellow asked.

Lean shrugged. “Well, we never force anyone to join us. They’ll go where they please.”

“There are always a few in every batch.” Coal said, shaking her head to demonstrate her disapproval. “The ones too scared or too set in their ways to follow us. Diamonds know what happens to them.”

Yellow though about the question she had asked Blue in the dark mine.  _ They were rebels. Were you going to join them? _

_ No, I wasn't. I don't think I could be a rebel anymore. _

“Speaking of, you should probably go soon, Coal.” Topes interrupted Yellow’s train of thought. “Make an announcement to these Pearls. They need to know their options, and they should hear it from you. You’re the one they’ll listen to”

“Right.” Coal said. “Lean, in the meantime, I want you to do a count of how many Pearls and how many of ours are left standing. See if anyone we know is missing.” 

You got it, captain!” Lean said, saluting her jokingly. Coal snorted, then turned and started walking into the crowd, heading towards the very same platform that Roe had met her demise on, shoulders thrown back, chin held high. 

Lean turned to face Yellow and Blue. “Whelp, I had better get going.” She said. “I’m gonna go find Topes and get this counting business done. I’ll see you in a few!” She slapped them both on the back, and she, too, strolled off and disappeared into the mass of gems.

“You sure know a lot of people.” Blue muttered in Yellow’s ear as they found themselves alone again. She had stopped shaking, and had transitioned from strangling Yellow’s arm to loosely holding her hand.

“What can I say?” Yellow asked, grinning at her. “I’m just too charming for my own good.”

Blue snorted, but did not respond. She was busy scanning the crowd, watching Coal as she carefully mounted the steps of Roe’s platform and turned to face the crowd. Blue’s hair looked nice in the sun, shiny and gossamer. “Want to go somewhere else?”

“What? I- sure. Sure, um, I would. Yes. Yes, let’s go.” Yellow said, feeling her face heat up and wishing that she could act cool for once in her life. 

They ended up sitting in the chill of Jasper’s ship, on the same benches behind which they had been hiding earlier. It was wonderful to get a break from the growing heat outside, and even more wonderful to escape from the noisy crowd. The second they were alone, Blue pulled her hair out of her face, revealing her one eye. 

“You know, you could have done that outside.” Yellow mentioned. “It’s like Lean said, they’re rebels. Nobody’s going to judge you.”

“Better safe than sorry.” Blue responded, shrugging. “Old habits die hard, I guess.” Yellow nodded. They were both quiet for a moment.

“So, um- why did you want to-”

“We need to figure out where we go from here.”  _ We _ , Yellow noted. Not I. Not You.  _ We _ .

“I agree.” 

“What do you want to do?” Blue asked her. It was nice to see Blue’s whole face again. Yellow couldn’t help watching her as she talked, watching the way her eye blinked and her lips moved. Blue had very nice lips.

“What do  _ I _ want to do?” Yellow tried to focus on the conversation at hand. 

“You heard me.”

“Well, what do  _ you _ want to do?”

“Just answer the question, Yellow.”

_ What do you want to do? _ How wonderful to be able to decide that for herself, for once. Even better, to finally know the answer. Yellow had been unsure for so long, but now that she actually thought about it, there was no question in her mind. “I want to go with the rebels.” She said. “I want to go with Topes and Lean and Coal. I’m tired of running.”

A flicker of a smile appeared on Blue’s face. “And you don’t want to go back to the Diamonds?”

“Phh, no! Not anymore.”   
“Why not?”

“Because… because the world is full of possibilities, and I am more than what they told me I was.” Yellow felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she said it. She was… she was free. She was done battling herself to be someone she didn't want to be. She was going to join the rebellion, and nothing could stop her. Well, probably. “How about you? What do… what do you want to do?”

Blue Pearl had already answered this question at the trial.  _ I would run to the farthest reaches of the galaxy where The Diamonds couldn't find me and I would look there for a place that is safe from them.  _

“I’ll come with you.” Blue Pearl surprised her. “I mean. I’ll also join the others. The rebellion.”

Yellow’s brain exploded with elation, but she hesitated. “What? Why?”

Blue shrugged.

“Don’t tell me it’s just because I’m doing it.” Yellow protested. “Because we both know that I'm the worst at making decisions. I mean, the worst. Don’t… I don’t know what I'm doing, so if you want to go off and… and become some sort of space hermit, that’s, I guess. That’s okay.”

“Wow, don’t sound so happy about it.” And though her tone was light, Yellow could still pick up the faint notes of hurt in Blue’s voice.

“No, I don't mean- I mean, I want you to come. With me.” Yellow’s face went pink. “But I also know- that’s not what you want. Is it?”

“Who said it isn't?” Blue raised her eyebrow.

“You did. All that stuff about not being a rebel? About running off to the edge of the galaxy or something?”

“If I remember correctly, you also said you wouldn't become a rebel. We’ve both changed our minds.”

“Yes, but- you’re serious?”

“Yellow, I  _ want _ to join the rebellion. I dragged you all the way over here because I thought I was going to have to convince you to do it with me.” Blue told her with fond exasperation. 

Yellow felt like something delightfully fizzy had landed in her bloodstream. A grin started pulling at the corners of her mouth. Blue was grinning, too, and it looked _so good_ on her. “And you figure that we had better stick together?”  
“Yeah, you know. Just in case another Jasper hunts us down.” Blue’s eye was sparkling. Yellow suddenly become hyperaware of how close she was, the way their knees were pressed together on the bench and the way were both twisted to face each other. Giddy with happiness, Yellow decided to take a risk.

“And… there’s no other reason?”

“Why, is there another reason for you?” Yellow’s heart sped up.

“Well, you… fight good.” Diamonds. Why was she such an idiot.

“Aww, thank you Yellow, I also think you fight good.” Yellow hoped her blush wasn't as noticeable as it felt. Quick, come up with something witty.

“Well, my prestige with a pickaxe  _ is _ unmatched.” Blue was really close now, closer than she had been before. Was she leaning forwards? Yellow couldn’t tell. “I can take down ten or more Amethysts with one of those things.”

“Personally, I would keep you around for the sarcasm alone.”

“Oh wow, what a complement.” Yellow’s heart was roaring in her ears.

“You’re only proving my point.” Blue was definitely leaning forwards. They both were. Yellow could feel Blue’s breath ghost across her face. 

“Any other reasons? To keep me around.” It was becoming increasingly difficult to stay focused on talking.

“Well, you’re always nice to look at, I suppose.” 

Yellow’s heart stopped for a full three beats before jumping back into overdrive. “Am I?”

“Yes. And I can make sure you never forget about all the times I saved you. You owe me.”

“No,  _ you _ owe  _ me _ .” Yellow halfheartedly protested, but she didn't get a chance to say anything properly clever because at that moment Blue’s lips met hers and Yellow’s brain effectively short circuited. Blue reached up to cup Yellow’s cheeks and Yellow put a hand in her silky hair as every last coherent thought flew out for her head. Blue’s mouth was soft, and her palms were soft, and her hair was soft, and Yellow wanted to spend the rest of her life doing this, kissing Blue, and feeling the warmth of her skin and the flutter of her eyelashes and the unevenness of her breath.

They broke apart after a few seconds- or it could've been minutes, or hours, or days for all Yellow knew- flushed and grinning. Their foreheads pressed against each other and their breath mingled in the space between.

“How about we call it even.” Yellow managed to say after a few moments. Blue laughed and kissed her again in response.


	13. Epilogue

They flew out on Jasper’s ship once all the Pearls from the camp had been safely transported off-world. Coal, Lean, and the other rebels that had stayed behind until the very end went with them. No one had seemed very surprised to hear that Yellow and Blue wanted to join their ranks- in fact, they’d already been planning on it. When Yellow had told Coal about their intentions, she’d just rolled her eyes and groaned. “Yeah, no duh.” She’d said. “Why did you think we were saving you a place on the ship?”

Lean was the exception. When she’d found out, she’d given them both tearful hugs that hurt more than Yellow was willing to admit. “I’m j-just so h-happy.” She’d sobbed. Lean had been crying a lot lately. Ever since she had found Topes’ gem shards scattered across the battlefield, there seemed to be a constant stream of salty water leaking from her eyes. Topes’ death had brought everyone down, really. Even Coal was less snappy than she usually was. Still, Lean had been hit the hardest. 

“How’re you holding up, Lean?” Yellow asked as she came and sat next to the Topaz. Coal sat on Lean’s other side, staring out the widows of what used to be Jasper’s ship as Blue steered them away from Riebes. A few more gems littered the small space, chatting quietly.

“I’m doing okay.” Lean responded. “I’m glad to be going.”

“Good, good. I have something for you.” Yellow blurted out, before she could change her mind. She turned to look at Coal. “For both of you.” Before either could ask what it was, Yellow took a deep breath and pulled Yellow Diamond’s envelope from her shirt.

The wax seal had chipped off almost completely and the paper itself was more of an ugly brown than its original white. The edges were ripped and torn, and one entire corner was missing. It was dirty, and bloodstained, and crumpled beyond belief, but it still looked like the letter inside would be readable. 

Yellow held it out to Lean, who accepted it, new tears beginning at the corner of her eyes.

“Your letter.” Lean whispered, holding it like a treasure. She understood its significance.

“It might be a bit dirty.” Yellow said. “Sorry about that.” On Lean’s other side, Coal snorted. 

Lean looked at the letter with something akin to wonder, but hesitated. “Yellow-” She started, looking unsure, but Yellow cut her off.  
“Whatever it is, I don’t want to hear it.” She told Lean sharply. “That letter isn't mine. It wasn't mine in the first place, and I’m tired of lugging it around. Besides, I want to see what’s in it, I’ve been dying of curiosity.”

Lean nodded mutely as Blue walked over and sat down next to Yellow, slinging an arm around Yellow’s shoulders as she did so. “Um, Blue?” Yellow asked uncertainty. “Who’s flying the ship?”

“Autopilot.” Blue said cooly. “It’s a fancy ship.” Her hair was tucked behind her ears, putting her eye on full display. She kissed Yellow’s cheek. “I couldn't miss this. You're not the only one who wants to know what’s in there.”  
“Took me long enough, huh?”

“You took exactly as much time as you needed. Which was a lot.”

“Hey!” Yellow protested lightly. She nudged Blue’s shoulder, then stopped to tuck a loose lock of hair behind Blue’s ear. “Have I ever told you how pretty you look with your hair pulled back?”

“You know,” Coal broke in irritably. “It doesn't take most people this long to open an envelope.”  
“Right, sorry.” Yellow said, going pink and turing to focus on Lean. “Lean, go ahead.”

“Topes would be really happy about this, you know.” Lean patted Yellow’s arm affectionately. “She’d be proud.”

“Just open it.” Yellow told Lean, not unkindly.

With shaking fingers, Lean broke the seal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well you guys, it's been a wild ride. Finishing this story has been a personal goal of mine for a long, long time, and while I'm happy to have accomplished it, I'm definitely sad it's over. I've had such a fun time writing about Yellow and Blue. I hope you've enjoyed reading about them just as much. Thank you all for leaving such wonderful comments! I promise I read all of them, sometimes even multiple times over. And thank you for reading this far, and for going on this little adventure with me. I hope to see you next time!


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